Compositions and methods for detecting bv-associated bacterial nucleic acid

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are nucleic acid oligomers, including amplification oligomers, capture probes, and detection probes, for detection of a 16S rRNA or its encoding gene from bacterial species associated with bacterial vaginosis. Also disclosed are methods of specific nucleic acid amplification and detection using the disclosed oligomers, as well as corresponding reaction mixtures and kits.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. Application No. 14/343,701,filed Mar. 7, 2014, which is a section '371 National Stage filing ofPCT/US2012/054458, filed Sep. 10, 2012, claiming priority under 35U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/532,347, filedSep. 8, 2011, the entire contents of each are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common condition affecting millions ofwomen annually that is associated with serious health problems such aspreterm labor resulting in low birth weight, pelvic inflammatorydisease, and increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus infection.See, e.g., Bodner-Adler et al., Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 189:139-47,2003; Hillier et al., Clin. Infect. Dis. 20:Suppl 2:S276-S278, 1995;Peipert et al., Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 184:856-63, 2001; Hillier etal., Am. J. Osbstet. Gynecol. 175:435-41, 1996; Martin et al., J.Infect. Dis. 180:1863-1868, 1999; Sturm-Ramirez et al., J. Infect. Dis.182:467-473, 2000. No single etiologic agent has been implicated as thecause of bacterial vaginosis, and the syndrome is currently consideredto be a polymicrobial disorder that is characterized by depletion ofvaginal Lactobacillus species that produce hydrogen peroxide and anincrease in the quantity of several vaginal anaerobic bacteria. See,e.g., Eschenbach et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 27:251-256, 1989; Fredrickset al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 47:721-726, 2009.

The more recent use of cultivation-independent analyses of 16S rRNA genesequences has identified various, previously unrecognized species thatare prevalent in the vaginal flora and appear to be associated with BV.See, e.g., Fredricks et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 353:1899-1911, 2005;Ferris et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 45:1016-1018, 2007. Among thesespecies are Gardnerella vaginalis. See, e.g., Fredricks et al., supra.Recent studies also suggest that Gardnerella vaginalis plays animportant role in BV pathogenesis and may be a suitable marker ofdisease and treatment response. See Fredricks et al., J. Clin.Microbiol. 47:721-726, 2009.

Accordingly, there is a need for compositions, kits, and methods forrapidly and accurately detecting the presence or abundance ofGardnerella vaginalis in a specimen. Such compositions, kits, andmethods would be particularly useful for the diagnosis of BV or formonitoring a patient's response to BV treatment. The present inventionmeets these and other needs.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present invention provides a combination of at leasttwo oligomers for detecting in a sample a Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) 16SrRNA or a gene encoding the GV 16S rRNA. Typically, the oligomercombination includes first and second amplification oligomers foramplifying a GV nucleic acid target region corresponding to the GV 16SrRNA or the 16S-rRNA-encoding gene. For example, in some embodiments,the first amplification oligomer comprises a first target-hybridizingsequence that is from about 15 to about 27 contiguous nucleotidescontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:75 and that includes at least thesequence of at least one of SEQ ID NO:72 and SEQ ID NO:73, and thesecond amplification oligomer comprises a second target-hybridizingsequence that is from about 15 to about 27 contiguous nucleotidescontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:71 and that includes at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:70.

In certain embodiments of the oligomer combination, the firsttarget-hybridizing sequence is selected from (a) a sequence contained inthe sequence of SEQ ID NO:76 and optionally including at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:72; (b) a sequence contained in the sequence ofSEQ ID NO:78 and optionally including at least the sequence of SEQ IDNO:77; (c) a sequence contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:79 andoptionally including at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:73; and (d) asequence contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:81 and optionallyincluding at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:80. Specific variations ofa first target-hybridizing sequence as in (a)-(d) above include (a) thesequences shown in SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8; (b) thesequences shown in SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:8; (c) the sequences shownin SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, and SEQ ID NO:10; and (d) thesequences shown in SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10.

In some embodiments of the oligomer combination, the secondtarget-hybridizing sequence has a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:35,SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, and SEQ ID NO:39. In otherembodiments, the second target-hybridizing sequence is contained in thesequence of SEQ ID NO:86 and optionally includes at least the sequenceof SEQ ID NO:85; specific variations of such a second target-hybridizingsequence include the sequences shown in SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:38, andSEQ ID NO:39.

In some variations, the second amplification oligomer is a promoterprimer or promoter provider further comprising a promoter sequencelocated 5′ to the target-hybridizing sequence. Suitable promotersequences include T7 RNA polymerase promoter sequences such as, e.g.,the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:87. In more specific embodiments, thesecond amplification oligomer has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5.

An oligomer combination may further include a terminating oligomer thathybridizes to a target sequence in the vicinity of the 5′-end of the GVnucleic acid target region. In some variations, a terminating oligomerhas the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, or SEQ ID NO:16.

An oligomer combination may also include at least one capture probeoligomer. In some such embodiments, the capture probe oligomer includesa target-hybridizing sequence covalently attached to a sequence ormoiety that binds to an immobilized probe. Suitable target-hybridizingsequences include the sequences shown in SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, and SEQ ID NO:46. Inparticular variations, the capture probe oligomer has a sequenceselected from SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28,SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, and SEQ ID NO:31.

In some embodiments, an oligomer combination further includes at leastone detection probe oligomer. In particular embodiments, the detectionprobe oligomer includes a target-hybridizing sequence that is from about14 to about 35 nucleotides in length and is configured to specificallyhybridize to a target sequence contained within SEQ ID NO:88 from aboutnucleotide position 164 to about nucleotide position 205. In some suchembodiments, the detection probe target-hybridizing sequence iscontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:84 and includes at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:83. In specific variations, the detection probetarget-hybridizing sequence is selected from SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21,SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, and SEQ ID NO:24.

In yet other embodiments, an oligomer combination further includes apseudotarget oligomer that can be amplified using the first and secondamplification oligomers. For example, in some variations wherein thefirst and second target-hybridizing sequences have the sequences shown,respectively, in SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:39, the pseudotarget oligomerhas the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:34.

In other aspects, the present invention provides a kit or a reactionmixture comprising an oligomer combination as above.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method fordetecting, in a sample, a Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) target nucleicacid, wherein the target nucleic acid is a GV 16S rRNA or a geneencoding the GV 16S rRNA. The method generally includes the followingsteps:

-   -   (a) contacting a sample, suspected of containing a GV bacterium,        with at least two oligomers for amplifying a GV nucleic acid        target region corresponding to the target nucleic acid, the        oligomer combination comprising (i) a first amplification        oligomer comprising a first target-hybridizing sequence that is        from about 15 to about 27 contiguous nucleotides contained in        the sequence of SEQ ID NO:75 and that includes at least the        sequence of at least one of SEQ ID NO:72 and SEQ ID NO:73,        and (ii) a second amplification oligomer comprising a second        target-hybridizing sequence that is from about 15 to about 27        contiguous nucleotides contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:71        and that includes at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:70;    -   (b) performing an in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction,        where any GV target nucleic acid present in said sample is used        as a template for generating an amplification product; and    -   (c) detecting the presence or absence of the amplification        product, thereby indicating the presence or absence of GV in the        sample.

In certain embodiments of the method, the first target-hybridizingsequence is selected from (a) a sequence contained in the sequence ofSEQ ID NO:76 and optionally including at least the sequence of SEQ IDNO:72; (b) a sequence contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:78 andoptionally including at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:77; (c) asequence contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:79 and optionallyincluding at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:73; and (d) a sequencecontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:81 and optionally including atleast the sequence of SEQ ID NO:80. Specific variations of a firsttarget-hybridizing sequence as in (a)-(d) above include (a) thesequences shown in SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8; (b) thesequences shown in SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:8; (c) the sequences shownin SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, and SEQ ID NO:10; and (d) thesequences shown in SEQ ID NO:9 and SEQ ID NO:10.

In some embodiments of the method, the second target-hybridizingsequence has a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ IDNO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, and SEQ ID NO:39. In other embodiments, the secondtarget-hybridizing is contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:86 andoptionally includes at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:85; specificvariations of such a second target-hybridizing sequence include thesequences shown in SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:38, and SEQ ID NO:39.

In some variations of the method, the second amplification oligomer is apromoter primer or promoter provider further comprising a promotersequence located 5′ to the target-hybridizing sequence. Suitablepromoter sequences include T7 RNA polymerase promoter sequences such as,e.g., the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:87. In more specific embodiments,the second amplification oligomer has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1,SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5.

Typically, the method for detecting the G. vaginalis target nucleic acidfurther comprising purifying the GV target nucleic acid from othercomponents in the sample before the amplification step (a). Inparticular embodiments, the purifying step includes contacting thesample with at least one capture probe oligomer comprising atarget-hybridizing sequence covalently attached to a sequence or moietythat binds to an immobilized probe. Suitable target-hybridizingsequences include the sequences shown in SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, and SEQ ID NO:46. Inparticular variations, the capture probe oligomer has a sequenceselected from SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ ID NO:27, SEQ ID NO:28,SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, and SEQ ID NO:31.

In some embodiments, the detecting step (c) includes contacting the invitro nucleic acid amplification reaction with a detection probeoligomer configured to specifically hybridize to the amplificationproduct under conditions whereby the presence or absence of theamplification product is determined, thereby indicating the presence orabsence of GV in the sample. In particular embodiments, the detectionprobe oligomer includes a target-hybridizing sequence that is from about14 to about 35 nucleotides in length and is configured to specificallyhybridize to a target sequence contained within SEQ ID NO:88 from aboutnucleotide position 164 to about nucleotide position 205. In some suchembodiments, the detection probe target-hybridizing sequence iscontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:84 and includes at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:83. In specific variations, the detection probetarget-hybridizing sequence is selected from SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21,SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, and SEQ ID NO:24.

In some embodiments of a method utilizing a detection probe oligomer,the detection probe includes at least one label. In specific variations,the one or more label(s) are selected from a chemiluminescent label, afluorescent label, a quencher, or any combination thereof.

In other embodiments of a method utilizing a detection probe oligomer,the detecting step (c) occurs during the amplifying step (b). In somesuch embodiments, the detection probe comprises a fluorescent label, aquencher, or both (e.g., a TaqMan detection probe or a molecularbeacon).

In still other embodiments of a method utilizing a detection probeoligomer, the detection probe further comprises a non-target-hybridizingsequence. In particular embodiments, the detection probe comprising anon-target-hybridizing sequence is a hairpin detection probe such as,e.g., a molecular beacon or a molecular torch.

In certain embodiments of the method for detecting the GV target nucleicacid, the amplification reaction at step (b) is an isothermalamplification reaction or a PCR amplification reaction. In specificvariations, the isothermal amplification reaction is atranscription-mediated amplification (TMA) reaction (e.g., a reverse TMAreaction). In some embodiments of a method utilizing an isothermal orPCR amplification reaction, the reaction is a real-time amplificationreaction.

In yet other embodiments, the method for detecting the GV target nucleicacid further includes contacting the sample with a pseudotarget oligomerthat can be amplified, using the first and second amplificationoligomers, in the in vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction togenerate a second amplification product that does not specificallyhybridize to the detection probe under the detection reactionconditions. For example, in some variations wherein the first and secondtarget-hybridizing sequences have the sequences shown, respectively, inSEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:39, the sample is contacted with apseudotarget oligomer having the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:34.

In still another aspect, the present invention provides a detectionprobe oligomer for detecting a Gardnerella vaginalis target nucleicacid. In some embodiments, the detection probe oligomer comprises atarget-hybridizing sequence that is from about 14 to about 35nucleotides in length and is configured to specifically hybridize to atarget sequence contained within SEQ ID NO:88 from about nucleotideposition 164 to about nucleotide position 205. In some such embodiments,the detection probe target-hybridizing sequence is contained in thesequence of SEQ ID NO:84 and includes at least the sequence of SEQ IDNO:83. In specific variations, the detection probe target-hybridizingsequence is selected from SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQID NO:23, and SEQ ID NO:24.

In some embodiments of a detection probe oligomer, the detection probeincludes at least one label. In specific variations, the one or morelabel(s) are selected from a chemiluminescent label, a fluorescentlabel, a quencher, or any combination thereof. In more specificvariations, the detection probe comprises a fluorescent label and aquencher (e.g., a TaqMan detection probe or a molecular beacon).

In other embodiments of a detection probe oligomer, the detection probefurther comprises a non-target-hybridizing sequence. In particularvariations, the detection probe comprising a non-target-hybridizingsequence is a hairpin detection probe such as, e.g., a molecular beaconor a molecular torch.

These and other aspects of the invention will become evident uponreference to the following detailed description of the invention and theattached drawings.

DEFINITIONS

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art pertinent to the methods and compositions described. As usedherein, the following terms and phrases have the meanings ascribed tothem unless specified otherwise.

The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents, unless thecontext clearly indicates otherwise. For example, “a nucleic acid” asused herein is understood to represent one or more nucleic acids. Assuch, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more,” and “at least one” can beused interchangeably herein.

“Sample” includes any specimen that may contain Gardnerella vaginalis orcomponents thereof, such as nucleic acids or fragments of nucleic acids.Samples include “biological samples” which include any tissue ormaterial derived from a living or dead human that may contain G.vaginalis or target nucleic acid derived therefrom, including, e.g.,vaginal swab samples, cervical brush samples, respiratory tissue orexudates such as bronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or lungbiopsy, sputum, saliva, peripheral blood, plasma, serum, lymph node,gastrointestinal tissue, feces, urine, semen or other body fluids ormaterials. The biological sample may be treated to physically ormechanically disrupt tissue or cell structure, thus releasingintracellular components into a solution which may further containenzymes, buffers, salts, detergents and the like, which are used toprepare, using standard methods, a biological sample for analysis. Also,samples may include processed samples, such as those obtained frompassing samples over or through a filtering device, or followingcentrifugation, or by adherence to a medium, matrix, or support.

“Nucleic acid” refers to a multimeric compound comprising two or morecovalently bonded nucleosides or nucleoside analogs having nitrogenousheterocyclic bases, or base analogs, where the nucleosides are linkedtogether by phosphodiester bonds or other linkages to form apolynucleotide. Nucleic acids include RNA, DNA, or chimeric DNA-RNApolymers or oligonucleotides, and analogs thereof. A nucleic acid“backbone” may be made up of a variety of linkages, including one ormore of sugar-phosphodiester linkages, peptide-nucleic acid bonds (in“peptide nucleic acids” or PNAs, see, e.g., International PatentApplication Pub. No. WO 95/32305), phosphorothioate linkages,methylphosphonate linkages, or combinations thereof. Sugar moieties ofthe nucleic acid may be either ribose or deoxyribose, or similarcompounds having known substitutions such as, for example, 2′-methoxysubstitutions and 2′-halide substitutions (e.g., 2′-F). Nitrogenousbases may be conventional bases (A, G, C, T, U), analogs thereof (e.g.,inosine, 5-methylisocytosine, isoguanine; see, e.g., The Biochemistry ofthe Nucleic Acids 5-36, Adams et al., ed., 11th ed., 1992; Abraham etal., 2007, BioTechniques 43: 617-24), which include derivatives ofpurine or pyrimidine bases (e.g., N⁴-methyl deoxygaunosine, deaza-oraza-purines, deaza- or aza-pyrimidines, pyrimidine bases havingsubstituent groups at the 5 or 6 position, purine bases having analtered or replacement substituent at the 2, 6 and/or 8 position, suchas 2-amino-6-methylaminopurine, O⁶-methylguanine, 4-thio-pyrimidines,4-amino-pyrimidines, 4-dimethylhydrazine-pyrimidines, andO⁴-alkyl-pyrimidines, and pyrazolo-compounds, such as unsubstituted or3-substituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,378,825,6,949,367 and International Patent Application Pub. No. WO 93/13121,each incorporated by reference herein). Nucleic acids may include“abasic” residues in which the backbone does not include a nitrogenousbase for one or more residues (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,481,incorporated by reference herein). A nucleic acid may comprise onlyconventional sugars, bases, and linkages as found in RNA and DNA, or mayinclude conventional components and substitutions (e.g., conventionalbases linked by a 2′-methoxy backbone, or a nucleic acid including amixture of conventional bases and one or more base analogs). Nucleicacids may include “locked nucleic acids” (LNA), in which one or morenucleotide monomers have a bicyclic furanose unit locked in an RNAmimicking sugar conformation, which enhances hybridization affinitytoward complementary sequences in single-stranded RNA (ssRNA),single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) (Vester etal., Biochemistry 43:13233-41, 2004, incorporated by reference herein).Nucleic acids may include modified bases to alter the function orbehavior of the nucleic acid, e.g., addition of a 3′-terminaldideoxynucleotide to block additional nucleotides from being added tothe nucleic acid. Synthetic methods for making nucleic acids in vitroare well known in the art although nucleic acids may be purified fromnatural sources using routine techniques.

The term “polynucleotide” as used herein denotes a nucleic acid chain.Throughout this application, nucleic acids are designated by the5′-terminus to the 3′-terminus. Standard nucleic acids, e.g., DNA andRNA, are typically synthesized “3′-to-5′,” i.e., by the addition ofnucleotides to the 5′-terminus of a growing nucleic acid.

A “nucleotide” as used herein is a subunit of a nucleic acid consistingof a phosphate group, a 5-carbon sugar and a nitrogenous base. The5-carbon sugar found in RNA is ribose. In DNA, the 5-carbon sugar is2′-deoxyribose. The term also includes analogs of such subunits, such asa methoxy group at the 2′ position of the ribose (2′-O-Me). As usedherein, methoxy oligonucleotides containing “T” residues have a methoxygroup at the 2′ position of the ribose moiety, and a uracil at the baseposition of the nucleotide.

A “non-nucleotide unit” as used herein is a unit that does notsignificantly participate in hybridization of a polymer. Such units mustnot, for example, participate in any significant hydrogen bonding with anucleotide, and would exclude units having as a component one of thefive nucleotide bases or analogs thereof.

A “target nucleic acid” as used herein is a nucleic acid comprising atarget sequence to be amplified. Target nucleic acids may be DNA or RNAas described herein, and may be either single-stranded ordouble-stranded. The target nucleic acid may include other sequencesbesides the target sequence, which may not be amplified. Typical targetnucleic acids include virus genomes, bacterial genomes, fungal genomes,plant genomes, animal genomes, rRNA, tRNA, or mRNA from viruses,bacteria or eukaryotic cells, mitochondrial DNA, or chromosomal DNA.

By “isolated” it is meant that a sample containing a target nucleic acidis taken from its natural milieu, but the term does not connote anydegree of purification.

The term “target sequence” as used herein refers to the particularnucleotide sequence of the target nucleic acid that is to be amplifiedand/or detected. The “target sequence” includes the complexing sequencesto which oligonucleotides (e.g., priming oligonucleotides and/orpromoter oligonucleotides) complex during an amplification processes(e.g., TMA). Where the target nucleic acid is originallysingle-stranded, the term “target sequence” will also refer to thesequence complementary to the “target sequence” as present in the targetnucleic acid. Where the target nucleic acid is originallydouble-stranded, the term “target sequence” refers to both the sense (+)and antisense (−) strands. In choosing a target sequence, the skilledartisan will understand that a “unique” sequence should be chosen so asto distinguish between unrelated or closely related target nucleicacids.

“Target-hybridizing sequence” is used herein to refer to the portion ofan oligomer that is configured to hybridize with a target nucleic acidsequence. Preferably, the target-hybridizing sequences are configured tospecifically hybridize with a target nucleic acid sequence.Target-hybridizing sequences may be 100% complementary to the portion ofthe target sequence to which they are configured to hybridize; but notnecessarily. Target-hybridizing sequences may also include inserted,deleted and/or substituted nucleotide residues relative to a targetsequence. Less than 100% complementarity of a target-hybridizingsequence to a target sequence may arise, for example, when the targetnucleic acid is a plurality strains within a species, such as would bethe case for an oligomer configured to hybridize to the various strainsof G. vaginalis. It is understood that other reasons exist forconfiguring a target-hybridizing sequence to have less than 100%complementarity to a target nucleic acid.

Oligomer target-hybridizing sequences defined herein by reference to aspecific sequence (e.g., by reference a region within SEQ ID NO:45) arealso understood to include functional complements thereof, unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, wheretarget-hybridizing regions of first and second amplification oligomersare defined by reference to specific sequences corresponding,respectively, to sense and antisense strands of a target nucleic acid,it is understood that the amplification oligomer combination may includea functional combination of first and second amplification oligomershaving target-hybridizing sequences that are the respective complementsof the specific reference sequences. Similarly, and again by way ofexample, where a target-hybridizing sequence for a detection probeoligomer is defined reference to a specific sequence, it is understoodthat the detection probe may include a corresponding detection probeoligomer having a target-hybridizing sequence that is the complement ofthe specific reference sequence; or where a detection probe oligomer isdefined by its configuration to hybridize to a specific sequence, it isunderstood that the detection probe may include a correspondingdetection probe oligomer having a target-hybridizing sequence that isconfigured to hybridize to the complement of the specific referencesequence.

The term “targets a sequence” as used herein in reference to a region ofGardnerella vaginalis (GV) nucleic acid refers to a process whereby anoligonucleotide hybridizes to the target sequence in a manner thatallows for amplification and detection as described herein. In onepreferred embodiment, the oligonucleotide is complementary with thetargeted GV nucleic acid sequence and contains no mismatches. In anotherpreferred embodiment, the oligonucleotide is complementary but contains1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 mismatches with the targeted GV nucleic acid sequence.Preferably, the oligonucleotide that hybridizes to the GV nucleic acidsequence includes at least 10 to as many as 50 nucleotides complementaryto the target sequence. It is understood that at least 10 and as many as50 is an inclusive range such that 10, 50 and each whole number therebetween are included. Preferably, the oligomer specifically hybridizesto the target sequence.

The term “configured to” denotes an actual arrangement of thepolynucleotide sequence configuration of a referenced oligonucleotidetarget-hybridizing sequence. For example, amplification oligomers thatare configured to generate a specified amplicon from a target sequencehave polynucleotide sequences that hybridize to the target sequence andcan be used in an amplification reaction to generate the amplicon. Alsoas an example, oligonucleotides that are configured to specificallyhybridize to a target sequence have a polynucleotide sequence thatspecifically hybridizes to the referenced sequence under stringenthybridization conditions.

The term “configured to specifically hybridize to” as used herein meansthat the target-hybridizing region of an amplification oligonucleotide,detection probe, or other oligonucleotide is designed to have apolynucleotide sequence that could target a sequence of the referencedGardnerella vaginalis (GV) target region. Such an oligonucleotide is notlimited to targeting that sequence only, but is rather useful as acomposition, in a kit or in a method for targeting a GV target nucleicacid. The oligonucleotide is designed to function as a component of anassay for amplification and detection of GV from a sample, and thereforeis designed to target GV in the presence of other nucleic acids commonlyfound in testing samples. “Specifically hybridize to” does not meanexclusively hybridize to, as some small level of hybridization tonon-target nucleic acids may occur, as is understood in the art. Rather,“specifically hybridize to” means that the oligonucleotide is configuredto function in an assay to primarily hybridize the target so that anaccurate detection of target nucleic acid in a sample can be determined.The term “configured to” denotes an actual arrangement of thepolynucleotide sequence configuration of the amplificationoligonucleotide target-hybridizing sequence.

The term “fragment,” as used herein in reference to the Gardnerellavaginalis targeted nucleic acid, refers to a piece of contiguous nucleicacid. In certain embodiments, the fragment includes contiguousnucleotides from a Gardnerella vaginalis 16S ribosomal RNA, wherein thenumber of 16S contiguous nucleotides in the fragment are less than thatfor the entire 16S.

The term “region,” as used herein, refers to a portion of a nucleic acidwherein said portion is smaller than the entire nucleic acid. Forexample, when the nucleic acid in reference is an oligonucleotidepromoter primer, the term “region” may be used refer to the smallerpromoter portion of the entire oligonucleotide. Similarly, and also asexample only, when the nucleic acid is a 16S ribosomal RNA, the term“region” may be used to refer to a smaller area of the nucleic acid,wherein the smaller area is targeted by one or more oligonucleotides ofthe invention. As another non-limiting example, when the nucleic acid inreference is an amplicon, the term region may be used to refer to thesmaller nucleotide sequence identified for hybridization by thetarget-hybridizing sequence of a probe.

The interchangeable terms “oligomer,” “oligo,” and “oligonucleotide”refer to a nucleic acid having generally less than 1,000 nucleotide (nt)residues, including polymers in a range having a lower limit of about 5nt residues and an upper limit of about 500 to 900 nt residues. In someembodiments, oligonucleotides are in a size range having a lower limitof about 12 to 15 nt and an upper limit of about 50 to 600 nt, and otherembodiments are in a range having a lower limit of about 15 to 20 nt andan upper limit of about 22 to 100 nt. Oligonucleotides may be purifiedfrom naturally occurring sources or may be synthesized using any of avariety of well-known enzymatic or chemical methods. The termoligonucleotide does not denote any particular function to the reagent;rather, it is used generically to cover all such reagents describedherein. An oligonucleotide may serve various different functions. Forexample, it may function as a primer if it is specific for and capableof hybridizing to a complementary strand and can further be extended inthe presence of a nucleic acid polymerase; it may function as a primerand provide a promoter if it contains a sequence recognized by an RNApolymerase and allows for transcription (e.g., a T7 Primer); and it mayfunction to detect a target nucleic acid if it is capable of hybridizingto the target nucleic acid, or an amplicon thereof, and further providesa detectible moiety (e.g., an acridinium-ester compound).

As used herein, an oligonucleotide “substantially corresponding to” aspecified reference nucleic acid sequence means that the oligonucleotideis sufficiently similar to the reference nucleic acid sequence such thatthe oligonucleotide has similar hybridization properties to thereference nucleic acid sequence in that it would hybridize with the sametarget nucleic acid sequence under stringent hybridization conditions.One skilled in the art will understand that “substantially correspondingoligonucleotides” can vary from a reference sequence and still hybridizeto the same target nucleic acid sequence. It is also understood that afirst nucleic acid corresponding to a second nucleic acid includes theRNA and DNA thereof and includes the complements thereof, unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. This variation from the nucleic acidmay be stated in terms of a percentage of identical bases within thesequence or the percentage of perfectly complementary bases between theprobe or primer and its target sequence. Thus, in certain embodiments,an oligonucleotide “substantially corresponds” to a reference nucleicacid sequence if these percentages of base identity or complementarityare from 100% to about 80%. In preferred embodiments, the percentage isfrom 100% to about 85%. In more preferred embodiments, this percentageis from 100% to about 90%; in other preferred embodiments, thispercentage is from 100% to about 95%. Similarly, a region of a nucleicacid or amplified nucleic acid can be referred to herein ascorresponding to a reference nucleic acid sequence. One skilled in theart will understand the various modifications to the hybridizationconditions that might be required at various percentages ofcomplementarity to allow hybridization to a specific target sequencewithout causing an unacceptable level of non-specific hybridization.

A “helper oligonucleotide” or “helper” refers to an oligonucleotidedesigned to bind to a target nucleic acid and impose a differentsecondary and/or tertiary structure on the target to increase the rateand extent of hybridization of a detection probe or otheroligonucleotide with the targeted nucleic acid, as described, forexample, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,557, incorporated by reference herein.Helpers may also be used to assist with the target hybridization andfunction of primer, target capture and other oligonucleotides.

As used herein, a “blocking moiety” is a substance used to “block” the3′-terminus of an oligonucleotide or other nucleic acid so that itcannot be efficiently extended by a nucleic acid polymerase. Oligomersnot intended for extension by a nucleic acid polymerase may include ablocker group that replaces the 3′ OH to prevent enzyme-mediatedextension of the oligomer in an amplification reaction. For example,blocked amplification oligomers and/or detection probes present duringamplification may not have functional 3′ OH and instead include one ormore blocking groups located at or near the 3′ end. In some embodimentsa blocking group near the 3′ end and may be within five residues of the3′ end and is sufficiently large to limit binding of a polymerase to theoligomer. In other embodiments a blocking group is covalently attachedto the 3′ terminus. Many different chemical groups may be used to blockthe 3′ end, e.g., alkyl groups, non-nucleotide linkers, alkane-dioldideoxynucleotide residues, and cordycepin.

An “amplification oligomer” is an oligomer, at least the 3′-end of whichis complementary to a target nucleic acid, and which hybridizes to atarget nucleic acid, or its complement, and participates in a nucleicacid amplification reaction. An example of an amplification oligomer isa “primer” that hybridizes to a target nucleic acid and contains a 3′ OHend that is extended by a polymerase in an amplification process.Another example of an amplification oligomer is an oligomer that is notextended by a polymerase (e.g., because it has a 3′ blocked end) butparticipates in or facilitates amplification. For example, the 5′ regionof an amplification oligonucleotide may include a promoter sequence thatis non-complementary to the target nucleic acid (which may be referredto as a “promoter primer” or “promoter provider”). Those skilled in theart will understand that an amplification oligomer that functions as aprimer may be modified to include a 5′ promoter sequence, and thusfunction as a promoter primer. Incorporating a 3′ blocked end furthermodifies the promoter primer, which is now capable of hybridizing to atarget nucleic acid and providing an upstream promoter sequence thatserves to initiate transcription, but does not provide a primer foroligo extension. Such a modified oligo is referred to herein as a“promoter provider” oligomer. Size ranges for amplificationoligonucleotides include those that are about 10 to about 70 nt long(not including any promoter sequence or poly-A tails) and contain atleast about 10 contiguous bases, or even at least 12 contiguous basesthat are complementary to a region of the target nucleic acid sequence(or a complementary strand thereof). The contiguous bases are at least80%, or at least 90%, or completely complementary to the target sequenceto which the amplification oligomer binds. An amplification oligomer mayoptionally include modified nucleotides or analogs, or additionalnucleotides that participate in an amplification reaction but are notcomplementary to or contained in the target nucleic acid, or templatesequence. It is understood that when referring to ranges for the lengthof an oligonucleotide, amplicon, or other nucleic acid, that the rangeis inclusive of all whole numbers (e.g., 19-25 contiguous nucleotides inlength includes 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25).

As used herein, a “promoter” is a specific nucleic acid sequence that isrecognized by a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (“transcriptase”) as asignal to bind to the nucleic acid and begin the transcription of RNA ata specific site.

As used herein, a “promoter provider” or “provider” refers to anoligonucleotide comprising first and second regions, and which ismodified to prevent the initiation of DNA synthesis from its3′-terminus. The “first region” of a promoter provider oligonucleotidecomprises a base sequence which hybridizes to a DNA template, where thehybridizing sequence is situated 3′, but not necessarily adjacent to, apromoter region. The hybridizing portion of a promoter oligonucleotideis typically at least 10 nucleotides in length, and may extend up to 50or more nucleotides in length. The “second region” comprises a promotersequence for an RNA polymerase. A promoter oligonucleotide is engineeredso that it is incapable of being extended by an RNA- or DNA-dependentDNA polymerase, e.g., reverse transcriptase, preferably comprising ablocking moiety at its 3′-terminus as described above. As referred toherein, a “T7 Provider” is a blocked promoter provider oligonucleotidethat provides an oligonucleotide sequence that is recognized by T7 RNApolymerase.

A “terminating oligonucleotide” is an oligonucleotide comprising a basesequence that is substantially complementary to a sequence within thetarget nucleic acid in the vicinity of the 5′-end of the target region,so as to “terminate” primer extension of a nascent nucleic acid thatincludes a priming oligonucleotide, thereby providing a defined 3′-endfor the nascent nucleic acid strand. A terminating oligonucleotide isdesigned to hybridize to the target nucleic acid at a positionsufficient to achieve the desired 3′-end for the nascent nucleic acidstrand. The positioning of the terminating oligonucleotide is flexibledepending upon its design. A terminating oligonucleotide may be modifiedor unmodified. In certain embodiments, terminating oligonucleotides aresynthesized with at least one or more 2′-O-ME ribonucleotides. Thesemodified nucleotides have demonstrated higher thermal stability ofcomplementary duplexes. The 2′-O-ME ribonucleotides also function toincrease the resistance of oligonucleotides to exonucleases, therebyincreasing the half-life of the modified oligonucleotides. (See, e.g.,Majlessi et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 26:2224-9, 1988, incorporated byreference herein.) Other modifications as described elsewhere herein maybe utilized in addition to or in place of 2′-O-ME ribonucleotides. Forexample, a terminating oligonucleotide may comprise PNA or an LNA. (See,e.g., Petersen et al., J. Mol. Recognit. 13:44-53, 2000, incorporated byreference herein.) A terminating oligonucleotide of the presentinvention typically includes a blocking moiety at its 3′-terminus toprevent extension. A terminating oligonucleotide may also comprise aprotein or peptide joined to the oligonucleotide so as to terminatefurther extension of a nascent nucleic acid chain by a polymerase. Aterminating oligonucleotide of the present invention is typically atleast 10 bases in length, and may extend up to 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40,50 or more nucleotides in length. While a terminating oligonucleotidetypically or necessarily includes a 3′-blocking moiety, “3′-blocked”oligonucleotides are not necessarily terminating oligonucleotides.

An “extender oligomer” or “extend oligomer” as used herein refers to anoligonucleotide that is the same sense as the T7 Provider and may act asa helper oligonucleotide that opens up structure or improvesspecificity.

“Amplification” refers to any known procedure for obtaining multiplecopies of a target nucleic acid sequence or its complement or fragmentsthereof. The multiple copies may be referred to as amplicons oramplification products. Amplification of “fragments” refers toproduction of an amplified nucleic acid that contains less than thecomplete target nucleic acid or its complement, e.g., produced by usingan amplification oligonucleotide that hybridizes to, and initiatespolymerization from, an internal position of the target nucleic acid.Known amplification methods include, for example, replicase-mediatedamplification, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), ligase chain reaction(LCR), strand-displacement amplification (SDA), andtranscription-mediated or transcription-associated amplification.Replicase-mediated amplification uses self-replicating RNA molecules,and a replicase such as QB-replicase (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.4,786,600, incorporated by reference herein). PCR amplification uses aDNA polymerase, pairs of primers, and thermal cycling to synthesizemultiple copies of two complementary strands of dsDNA or from a cDNA(see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195; 4,683,202; and 4,800,159; eachincorporated by reference herein). LCR amplification uses four or moredifferent oligonucleotides to amplify a target and its complementarystrand by using multiple cycles of hybridization, ligation, anddenaturation (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,427,930 and 5,516,663, eachincorporated by reference herein). SDA uses a primer that contains arecognition site for a restriction endonuclease and an endonuclease thatnicks one strand of a hemimodified DNA duplex that includes the targetsequence, whereby amplification occurs in a series of primer extensionand strand displacement steps (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,422,252;5,547,861; and 5,648,211; each incorporated by reference herein).

“Transcription-associated amplification” or “transcription-mediatedamplification” (TMA) refer to nucleic acid amplification that uses anRNA polymerase to produce multiple RNA transcripts from a nucleic acidtemplate. These methods generally employ an RNA polymerase, a DNApolymerase, deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, ribonucleosidetriphosphates, and a template complementary oligonucleotide thatincludes a promoter sequence, and optionally may include one or moreother oligonucleotides. TMA methods and single-primer transcriptionassociated amplification method are embodiments of amplification methodsused for detection of G. vaginalis target sequences as described herein.Variations of transcription-associated amplification are well known inthe art as previously disclosed in detail (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.4,868,105; 5,124,246; 5,130,238; 5,399,491; 5,437,990; 5,554,516; and7,374,885; and International Patent Application Pub. Nos. WO 88/01302;WO 88/10315; and WO 95/03430; each incorporated by reference herein).The person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that thedisclosed compositions may be used in amplification methods based onextension of oligomer sequences by a polymerase.

As used herein, the term “real-time TMA” refers to single-primertranscription-mediated amplification (“TMA”) of target nucleic acid thatis monitored by real-time detection means.

The term “amplicon” or the term “amplification product” as used hereinrefers to the nucleic acid molecule generated during an amplificationprocedure that is complementary or homologous to a sequence containedwithin the target sequence. The complementary or homologous sequence ofan amplicon is sometimes referred to herein as a “target-specificsequence.” Amplicons generated using the amplification oligomers of thecurrent invention may comprise non-target specific sequences. Ampliconscan be double stranded or single stranded and can include DNA, RNA orboth. For example, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase transcribes singlestranded amplicons from double-stranded DNA duringtranscription-mediated amplification procedures. These single-strandedamplicons are RNA amplicons and can be either strand of adouble-stranded complex, depending on how the amplification oligomersare configured. Thus, amplicons can be single-stranded RNA.RNA-dependent DNA polymerases synthesize a DNA strand that iscomplementary to an RNA template. Thus, amplicons can be double-strandedDNA and RNA hybrids. RNA-dependent DNA polymerases often include RNaseactivity, or are used in conjunction with an RNase, which degrades theRNA strand. Thus, amplicons can be single stranded DNA. RNA-dependentDNA polymerases and DNA-dependent DNA polymerases synthesizecomplementary DNA strands from DNA templates. Thus, amplicons can bedouble-stranded DNA. RNA-dependent RNA polymerases synthesize RNA froman RNA template. Thus, amplicons can be double-stranded RNA.DNA-dependent RNA polymerases synthesize RNA from double-stranded DNAtemplates, also referred to as transcription. Thus, amplicons can besingle stranded RNA. Amplicons and methods for generating amplicons areknown to those skilled in the art. For convenience herein, a singlestrand of RNA or a single strand of DNA may represent an amplicongenerated by an amplification oligomer combination of the currentinvention. Such representation is not meant to limit the amplicon to therepresentation shown. Skilled artisans in possession of the instantdisclosure will use amplification oligomers and polymerase enzymes togenerate any of the numerous types of amplicons, all within the spiritand scope of the current invention.

A “non-target-specific sequence,” as is used herein refers to a regionof an oligomer sequence, wherein said region does not stably hybridizewith a target sequence under standard hybridization conditions.Oligomers with non-target-specific sequences include, but are notlimited to, promoter primers and molecular beacons. An amplificationoligomer may contain a sequence that is not complementary to the targetor template sequence; for example, the 5′ region of a primer may includea promoter sequence that is non-complementary to the target nucleic acid(referred to as a “promoter primer”). Those skilled in the art willunderstand that an amplification oligomer that functions as a primer maybe modified to include a 5′ promoter sequence, and thus function as apromoter primer. Similarly, a promoter primer may be modified by removalof, or synthesis without, a promoter sequence and still function as aprimer. A 3′ blocked amplification oligomer may provide a promotersequence and serve as a template for polymerization (referred to as a“promoter provider”). Thus, an amplicon that is generated by anamplification oligomer member such as a promoter primer will comprise atarget-specific sequence and a non-target-specific sequence.

“Detection probe,” “detection oligonucleotide,” and “detection probeoligomer” are used interchangeably to refer to a nucleic acid oligomerthat hybridizes specifically to a target sequence in a nucleic acid, orin an amplified nucleic acid, under conditions that promotehybridization to allow detection of the target sequence or amplifiednucleic acid. Detection may either be direct (e.g., a probe hybridizeddirectly to its target sequence) or indirect (e.g., a probe linked toits target via an intermediate molecular structure). Detection probesmay be DNA, RNA, analogs thereof or combinations thereof and they may belabeled or unlabeled. Detection probes may further include alternativebackbone linkages such as, e.g., 2′-O-methyl linkages. A detectionprobe's “target sequence” generally refers to a smaller nucleic acidsequence region within a larger nucleic acid sequence that hybridizesspecifically to at least a portion of a probe oligomer by standard basepairing. A detection probe may comprise target-specific sequences andother sequences that contribute to the three-dimensional conformation ofthe probe (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,118,801; 5,312,728; 6,849,412;6,835,542; 6,534,274; and 6,361,945; and US Patent Application Pub. No.20060068417; each incorporated by reference herein).

By “stable” or “stable for detection” is meant that the temperature of areaction mixture is at least 2° C. below the melting temperature of anucleic acid duplex.

As used herein, a “label” refers to a moiety or compound joined directlyor indirectly to a probe that is detected or leads to a detectablesignal. Direct labeling can occur through bonds or interactions thatlink the label to the probe, including covalent bonds or non-covalentinteractions, e.g., hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic and ionic interactions,or formation of chelates or coordination complexes. Indirect labelingcan occur through use of a bridging moiety or “linker” such as a bindingpair member, an antibody or additional oligomer, which is eitherdirectly or indirectly labeled, and which may amplify the detectablesignal. Labels include any detectable moiety, such as a radionuclide,ligand (e.g., biotin, avidin), enzyme or enzyme substrate, reactivegroup, or chromophore (e.g., dye, particle, or bead that impartsdetectable color), luminescent compound (e.g., bioluminescent,phosphorescent, or chemiluminescent labels), or fluorophore. Labels maybe detectable in a homogeneous assay in which bound labeled probe in amixture exhibits a detectable change different from that of an unboundlabeled probe, e.g., instability or differential degradation properties.A “homogeneous detectable label” can be detected without physicallyremoving bound from unbound forms of the label or labeled probe (see,e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,283,174; 5,656,207; and 5,658,737; eachincorporated by reference herein). Labels include chemiluminescentcompounds, e.g., acridinium ester (“AE”) compounds that include standardAE and derivatives (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,656,207; 5,658,737; and5,639,604; each incorporated by reference herein). Synthesis and methodsof attaching labels to nucleic acids and detecting labels are wellknown. (See, e.g., Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning, A LaboratoryManual, 2nd ed. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Habor,N.Y., 1989), Chapter 10, incorporated by reference herein. See also U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,658,737; 5,656,207; 5,547,842; 5,283,174; and 4,581,333;each incorporated by reference herein). More than one label, and morethan one type of label, may be present on a particular probe, ordetection may use a mixture of probes in which each probe is labeledwith a compound that produces a detectable signal (see, e.g., U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,180,340 and 6,350,579, each incorporated by reference herein).

“Capture probe,” “capture oligonucleotide,” and “capture probe oligomer”are used interchangeably to refer to a nucleic acid oligomer thatspecifically hybridizes to a target sequence in a target nucleic acid bystandard base pairing and joins to a binding partner on an immobilizedprobe to capture the target nucleic acid to a support. One example of acapture oligomer includes two binding regions: a sequence-binding region(e.g., target-specific portion) and an immobilized probe-binding region,usually on the same oligomer, although the two regions may be present ontwo different oligomers joined together by one or more linkers. Anotherembodiment of a capture oligomer uses a target-sequence binding regionthat includes random or non-random poly-GU, poly-GT, or poly U sequencesto bind non-specifically to a target nucleic acid and link it to animmobilized probe on a support.

As used herein, an “immobilized oligonucleotide,” “immobilized probe,”or “immobilized nucleic acid” refers to a nucleic acid binding partnerthat joins a capture oligomer to a support, directly or indirectly. Animmobilized probe joined to a support facilitates separation of acapture probe bound target from unbound material in a sample. Oneembodiment of an immobilized probe is an oligomer joined to a supportthat facilitates separation of bound target sequence from unboundmaterial in a sample. Supports may include known materials, such asmatrices and particles free in solution, which may be made ofnitrocellulose, nylon, glass, polyacrylate, mixed polymers, polystyrene,silane, polypropylene, metal, or other compositions, of which oneembodiment is magnetically attractable particles. Supports may bemonodisperse magnetic spheres (e.g., uniform size ±5%), to which animmobilized probe is joined directly (via covalent linkage, chelation,or ionic interaction), or indirectly (via one or more linkers), wherethe linkage or interaction between the probe and support is stableduring hybridization conditions.

By “complementary” is meant that the nucleotide sequences of similarregions of two single-stranded nucleic acids, or to different regions ofthe same single-stranded nucleic acid have a nucleotide base compositionthat allow the single-stranded regions to hybridize together in a stabledouble-stranded hydrogen-bonded region under stringent hybridization oramplification conditions. Sequences that hybridize to each other may becompletely complementary or partially complementary to the intendedtarget sequence by standard nucleic acid base pairing (e.g., G:C, A:T orA:U pairing). By “sufficiently complementary” is meant a contiguoussequence that is capable of hybridizing to another sequence by hydrogenbonding between a series of complementary bases, which may becomplementary at each position in the sequence by standard base pairingor may contain one or more residues, including abasic residues, that arenot complementary. Sufficiently complementary contiguous sequencestypically are at least 80%, or at least 90%, complementary to a sequenceto which an oligomer is intended to specifically hybridize. Sequencesthat are “sufficiently complementary” allow stable hybridization of anucleic acid oligomer with its target sequence under appropriatehybridization conditions, even if the sequences are not completelycomplementary. When a contiguous sequence of nucleotides of onesingle-stranded region is able to form a series of “canonical”hydrogen-bonded base pairs with an analogous sequence of nucleotides ofthe other single-stranded region, such that A is paired with U or T andC is paired with G, the nucleotides sequences are “completely”complementary (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning, ALaboratory Manual, 2^(nd) ed. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, ColdSpring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) at §§ 1.90-1.91, 7.37-7.57, 9.47-9.51 and11.47-11.57, particularly §§ 9.50-9.51, 11.12-11.13, 11.45-11.47 and11.55-11.57, incorporated by reference herein). It is understood thatranges for percent identity are inclusive of all whole and partialnumbers (e.g., at least 90% includes 90, 91, 93.5, 97.687 and etc.).

By “preferentially hybridize” or “specifically hybridize” is meant thatunder stringent hybridization assay conditions, probes hybridize totheir target sequences, or replicates thereof, to form stableprobe:target hybrids, while at the same time formation of stableprobe:non-target hybrids is minimized Thus, a probe hybridizes to atarget sequence or replicate thereof to a sufficiently greater extentthan to a non-target sequence, to enable one having ordinary skill inthe art to accurately quantitate the RNA replicates or complementary DNA(cDNA) of the target sequence formed during the amplification.Appropriate hybridization conditions are well-known in the art, may bepredicted based on sequence composition, or can be determined by usingroutine testing methods (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning,A Laboratory Manual, 2^(nd) ed. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press,Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) at §§ 1.90-1.91, 7.37-7.57, 9.47-9.51and 11.47-11.57, particularly §§ 9.50-9.51, 11.12-11.13, 11.45-11.47 and11.55-11.57, incorporated by reference herein).

By “nucleic acid hybrid,” “hybrid,” or “duplex” is meant a nucleic acidstructure containing a double-stranded, hydrogen-bonded region whereineach strand is complementary to the other, and wherein the region issufficiently stable under stringent hybridization conditions to bedetected by means including, but not limited to, chemiluminescent orfluorescent light detection, autoradiography, or gel electrophoresis.Such hybrids may comprise RNA:RNA, RNA:DNA, or DNA:DNA duplex molecules.

“Sample preparation” refers to any steps or method that treats a samplefor subsequent amplification and/or detection of Gardnerella vaginalisnucleic acids present in the sample. Samples may be complex mixtures ofcomponents of which the target nucleic acid is a minority component.Sample preparation may include any known method of concentratingcomponents, such as microbes or nucleic acids, from a larger samplevolume, such as by filtration of airborne or waterborne particles from alarger volume sample or by isolation of microbes from a sample by usingstandard microbiology methods. Sample preparation may include physicaldisruption and/or chemical lysis of cellular components to releaseintracellular components into a substantially aqueous or organic phaseand removal of debris, such as by using filtration, centrifugation oradsorption. Sample preparation may include use of a nucleic acidoligonucleotide that selectively or non-specifically capture a targetnucleic acid and separate it from other sample components (e.g., asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,678 and International PatentApplication Pub. No. WO 2008/016988, each incorporated by referenceherein).

“Separating” or “purifying” means that one or more components of asample are removed or separated from other sample components. Samplecomponents include target nucleic acids usually in a generally aqueoussolution phase, which may also include cellular fragments, proteins,carbohydrates, lipids, and other nucleic acids. Separating or purifyingremoves at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 95% of the targetnucleic acid from other sample components.

As used herein, a “DNA-dependent DNA polymerase” is an enzyme thatsynthesizes a complementary DNA copy from a DNA template. Examples areDNA polymerase I from E. coli, bacteriophage T7 DNA polymerase, or DNApolymerases from bacteriophages T4, Phi-29, M2, or T5. DNA-dependent DNApolymerases may be the naturally occurring enzymes isolated frombacteria or bacteriophages or expressed recombinantly, or may bemodified or “evolved” forms which have been engineered to possesscertain desirable characteristics, e.g., thermostability, or the abilityto recognize or synthesize a DNA strand from various modified templates.All known DNA-dependent DNA polymerases require a complementary primerto initiate synthesis. It is known that under suitable conditions aDNA-dependent DNA polymerase may synthesize a complementary DNA copyfrom an RNA template. RNA-dependent DNA polymerases typically also haveDNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity.

As used herein, a “DNA-dependent RNA polymerase” or “transcriptase” isan enzyme that synthesizes multiple RNA copies from a double-stranded orpartially double-stranded DNA molecule having a promoter sequence thatis usually double-stranded. The RNA molecules (“transcripts”) aresynthesized in the 5′-to-3′ direction beginning at a specific positionjust downstream of the promoter. Examples of transcriptases are theDNA-dependent RNA polymerase from E. coli and bacteriophages T7, T3, andSP6.

As used herein, an “RNA-dependent DNA polymerase” or “reversetranscriptase” (“RT”) is an enzyme that synthesizes a complementary DNAcopy from an RNA template. All known reverse transcriptases also havethe ability to make a complementary DNA copy from a DNA template; thus,they are both RNA- and DNA-dependent DNA polymerases. RTs may also havean RNAse H activity. A primer is required to initiate synthesis withboth RNA and DNA templates.

As used herein, a “selective RNAse” is an enzyme that degrades the RNAportion of an RNA:DNA duplex but not single-stranded RNA,double-stranded RNA or DNA. An exemplary selective RNAse is RNAse H.Enzymes possessing the same or similar activity as RNAse H may also beused. Selective RNAses may be endonucleases or exonucleases. Mostreverse transcriptase enzymes contain an RNAse H activity in addition totheir polymerase activities. However, other sources of the RNAse H areavailable without an associated polymerase activity. The degradation mayresult in separation of RNA from a RNA:DNA complex. Alternatively, aselective RNAse may simply cut the RNA at various locations such thatportions of the RNA melt off or permit enzymes to unwind portions of theRNA. Other enzymes that selectively degrade RNA target sequences or RNAproducts of the present invention will be readily apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art.

The term “specificity,” in the context of an amplification and/ordetection system, is used herein to refer to the characteristic of thesystem which describes its ability to distinguish between target andnon-target sequences dependent on sequence and assay conditions. Interms of nucleic acid amplification, specificity generally refers to theratio of the number of specific amplicons produced to the number ofside-products (e.g., the signal-to-noise ratio). In terms of detection,specificity generally refers to the ratio of signal produced from targetnucleic acids to signal produced from non-target nucleic acids.

The term “sensitivity” is used herein to refer to the precision withwhich a nucleic acid amplification reaction can be detected orquantitated. The sensitivity of an amplification reaction is generally ameasure of the smallest copy number of the target nucleic acid that canbe reliably detected in the amplification system, and will depend, forexample, on the detection assay being employed, and the specificity ofthe amplification reaction, e.g., the ratio of specific amplicons toside-products.

As used herein, a “colony-forming unit” (“CFU”) is used as a measure ofviable microorganisms in a sample. A CFU is an individual viable cellcapable of forming on a solid medium a visible colony whose individualcells are derived by cell division from one parental cell. One CFUcorresponds to ˜1000 copies of rRNA.

As used herein, the term “relative light unit” (“RLU”) is an arbitraryunit of measurement indicating the relative number of photons emitted bythe sample at a given wavelength or band of wavelengths. RLU varies withthe characteristics of the detection means used for the measurement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a reference sequence for Gardnerella vaginalis 16Sribosomal rRNA gene (SEQ ID NO:88), partial sequence found at GenBankunder accession number EF194095.1 and GI:122938535.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides compositions, kits and methods foramplifying and detecting Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis or “GV”)nucleic acid from a sample, specifically sequences of GV 16S rRNA orgenes encoding 16S rRNA. Preferably, the samples are biological samples.The compositions, kits and methods provide oligonucleotide sequencesthat recognize target sequences of GV 16S rRNA or their complementarysequences, or genes encoding 16S rRNA or their complementary sequences.Such oligonucleotides may be used as amplification oligonucleotides,which may include primers, promoter primers, blocked oligonucleotides,and promoter provider oligonucleotides, whose functions have beendescribed previously (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195; 4,683,202;4,800,159; 5,399,491; 5,554,516; 5,824,518; and 7,374,885; eachincorporated by reference herein). Other oligonucleotides may be used asprobes for detecting amplified sequences of G. vaginalis.

The methods provide for the sensitive and specific detection of G.vaginalis nucleic acids. The methods include performing a nucleic acidamplification of GV sequences and detecting the amplified product by,for example, specifically hybridizing the amplified product with anucleic acid detection probe that provides a signal to indicate thepresence of GV in the sample. The amplification step includes contactingthe sample with one or more amplification oligomers specific for atarget sequence in 16S rRNA to produce an amplified product if G.vaginalis nucleic acid is present in the sample. Amplificationsynthesizes additional copies of the target sequence or its complementby using at least one nucleic acid polymerase to extend the sequencefrom an amplification oligomer (a primer) using a template strand. Oneembodiment for detecting the amplified product uses a hybridizing stepthat includes contacting the amplified product with at least one probespecific for a sequence amplified by the selected amplificationoligomers, e.g., a sequence contained in the target sequence flanked bya pair of selected primers.

The detection step may be performed using any of a variety of knowntechniques to detect a signal specifically associated with the amplifiedtarget sequence, such as, e.g., by hybridizing the amplification productwith a labeled detection probe and detecting a signal resulting from thelabeled probe. The detection step may also provide additionalinformation on the amplified sequence, such as, e.g., all or a portionof its nucleic acid base sequence. Detection may be performed after theamplification reaction is completed, or may be performed simultaneouslywith amplifying the target region, e.g., in real time. In oneembodiment, the detection step allows homogeneous detection, e.g.,detection of the hybridized probe without removal of unhybridized probefrom the mixture (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,639,604 and 5,283,174,each incorporated by reference herein).

In embodiments that detect the amplified product near or at the end ofthe amplification step, a linear detection probe may be used to providea signal to indicate hybridization of the probe to the amplifiedproduct. One example of such detection uses a luminescentally labeledprobe that hybridizes to target nucleic acid. Luminescent label is thenhydrolyzed from non-hybridized probe. Detection is performed bychemiluminescence using a luminometer. (see, e.g., International PatentApplication Pub. No. WO 89/002476, incorporated by reference herein). Inother embodiments that use real-time detection, the detection probe maybe a hairpin probe such as, for example, a molecular beacon, moleculartorch, or hybridization switch probe that is labeled with a reportermoiety that is detected when the probe binds to amplified product. Suchprobes may comprise target-hybridizing sequences andnon-target-hybridizing sequences. Various forms of such probes have beendescribed previously (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,118,801; 5,312,728;5,925,517; 6,150,097; 6,849,412; 6,835,542; 6,534,274; and 6,361,945;and US Patent Application Pub. Nos. 20060068417A1 and 20060194240A1;each incorporated by reference herein).

Preferred compositions of the instant invention are configured tospecifically hybridize to a 16S rRNA nucleic acid of G. vaginalis withminimal cross-reactivity to other nucleic acids suspected of being in asample. In some aspects, the compositions of the instant invention areconfigured to specifically hybridize to a 16S rRNA nucleic acid of G.vaginalis with minimal cross-reactivity to one or more of anaerobicgram-positive cocci; A. vaginae; Lactobacillus sp.; Lactobacillus iners;Lactobacillus crispatus group; Lactobacillus gasseri group; Trichomonassp.; Trichomonas vaginalis; Candida sp.; Eggerthella sp.; Bacterium fromthe order Clostridiales; Clostridium-like sp.; Prevotella sp.;Prevotella bivia group; Prevotella buccalis group; Atopobium sp.;Atopobium vaginae; Enterobacteria; Peptostreptococcus micros; Aerococcuschristensenii; Leptotrichia amnionii; Peptoniphilus sp.; Dialister sp.;Mycoplasma hominis; Sneathia sanguinegens; Anaerococcus tetradius;Mobiluncus sp.; Mobiluncus hominis; Eggerthella hongkongensis;Megasphaera sp.; Leptotrichia sanguinegens and Finegoldia magna. In oneaspect, the compositions of the instant invention are part of amultiplex system that further includes components and methods fordetecting one of more of these organisms.

In certain aspects of the invention, a combination of at least twooligomers is provided for the detection of a G. vaginalis 16S rRNA or agene encoding a G. vaginalis 16S rRNA. Typically, the oligomercombination includes first and second amplification oligomers foramplifying a GV nucleic acid target region corresponding to SEQ ID NO:88from about nucleotide position 164 to about nucleotide position 205. Forexample, in some embodiments, the first amplification oligomer comprisesa first target-hybridizing sequence that is from about 15 to about 27contiguous nucleotides in length and substantially corresponding to, oridentical to, a sequence that is contained in the sequence of SEQ IDNO:75 and that includes SEQ ID NO:72 and/or SEQ ID NO:73; and the secondamplification oligomer comprises a second target-hybridizing sequencethat is from about 15 to about 27 contiguous nucleotides in length andsubstantially corresponding to, or identical to, a sequence that iscontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:71 and that includes at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:70.

In some embodiments of the oligomer combination, the firsttarget-hybridizing sequence is selected from the following: (a) asequence substantially corresponding to, or identical to, a sequencethat is contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:76; (b) a sequencesubstantially corresponding to, or identical to, a sequence that iscontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:78; (c) a sequence substantiallycorresponding to, or identical to, a sequence that is contained in thesequence of SEQ ID NO:79; and (d) a sequence substantially correspondingto, or identical to, a sequence that is contained in the sequence of SEQID NO:81. In more particular variations, a first target-hybridizingsequence as in (a)-(d) above is as follows: for the target-hybridizingsequence of (a), a sequence substantially corresponding to, or identicalto, a sequence that includes at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:72; forthe target-hybridizing sequence of (b), a sequence substantiallycorresponding to, or identical to, a sequence that includes at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:77; for the target-hybridizing sequence of (c), asequence substantially corresponding to, or identical to, a sequencethat includes at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:73; and for thetarget-hybridizing sequence of (d), a sequence substantiallycorresponding to, or identical to, a sequence that includes at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:80. In specific variations, the firsttarget-hybridizing sequence of (a) substantially corresponds to, or isidentical to, the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, or SEQ IDNO:8; the first target-hybridizing sequence of (b) substantiallycorresponds to, or is identical to, the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7 orSEQ ID NO:8; the first target-hybridizing sequence of (c) substantiallycorresponds to, or is identical to, the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7,SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, or SEQ ID NO:10; or the firsttarget-hybridizing sequence of (d) substantially corresponds to, or isidentical to, the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:9 or SEQ ID NO:10.

In certain embodiments, the second target-hybridizing sequence isselected from the following: (a) a sequence substantially correspondingto, or identical to, the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36,SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, or SEQ ID NO:39; and (b) a sequencesubstantially corresponding to, or identical to, a sequence that iscontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:86. In some embodiments of asecond target-hybridizing sequence as in (b) above, thetarget-hybridizing sequence substantially corresponds to, or isidentical to, a sequence that includes at least the sequence of SEQ IDNO:85. In specific variations, a second target-hybridizing sequence asin (b) substantially corresponds to, or is identical to, the sequenceshown in SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:38, or SEQ ID NO:39.

In certain embodiments, an amplification oligomer as described herein isa promoter primer or promoter provider further comprising a promotersequence located 5′ to the target-hybridizing sequence and which isnon-complementary to the G. vaginalis target nucleic acid. For example,in some embodiments of an oligomer combination as described herein foramplification of a GV target region, the second amplification oligomeris a promoter primer or promoter provider further comprising a 5′promoter sequence. In particular embodiments, the promoter sequence is aT7 RNA polymerase promoter sequence such as, for example, a T7 promotersequence having the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:87. In specificvariations, the second amplification oligomer is a promoter primer orpromoter provider having the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2,SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5.

In some embodiments, an oligomer combination as described herein furtherincludes a terminating oligonucleotide (also referred to herein as a“blocker” oligonucleotide) comprising comprises a base sequencesubstantially complementary (e.g., fully complementary) to a sequencecontained within the target nucleic acid in the vicinity of the 5′-endof the target region. A terminating oligomer is typically used incombination with, e.g., a promoter provider amplification oligomer, suchas, for example, in certain embodiments described herein relating totranscription-mediated amplification (TMA). Particular suitableterminating oligomers for use in accordance with the present inventionhave a sequence substantially corresponding to, or identical to, asequence selected from SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ IDNO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, and SEQ ID NO:16.

In some embodiments, an oligomer combination as described herein furthercomprises at least one capture probe oligomer comprising atarget-hybridizing sequence substantially corresponding to a sequencecontained in the complement of SEQ ID NO:88, wherein thetarget-hybridizing sequence is covalently attached to a sequence ormoiety that binds to an immobilized probe. In specific variations, thetarget-hybridizing sequence comprises or consists of a sequencesubstantially corresponding to, or identical to, a sequence selectedfrom SEQ ID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ IDNO:44, SEQ ID NO:45, and SEQ ID NO:46. Particularly suitable captureprobes for use in accordance with the present invention comprise orconsist of a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, SEQ IDNO:27, SEQ ID NO:28, SEQ ID NO:29, SEQ ID NO:30, and SEQ ID NO:31.

In certain variations, an oligomer combination as described hereinfurther comprises at least one detection probe oligomer configured tospecifically hybridize to a G. vaginalis target sequence that isamplifiable using the first and second amplification oligomers (e.g., aGV target sequence that is flanked by the target-hybridizing sequencesof the first and second amplification oligomers). In some embodiments, adetection probe oligomer for use in accordance with the presentinvention comprises a target-hybridizing sequence that is from about 14to about 35 nucleotides in length and is configured to specificallyhybridize to a target sequence contained within SEQ ID NO:88 from aboutnucleotide position 164 to about nucleotide position 205. For example,in some variations, the detection probe target-hybridizing sequence iscontained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:84 and/or includes at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:83. Particularly suitable detection probeoligomers include, for example, oligomers comprising atarget-hybridizing sequence substantially corresponding to, or identicalto, a sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22,SEQ ID NO:23, and SEQ ID NO:24.

Typically, a detection probe oligomer in accordance with the presentinvention further includes a label. Particularly suitable labels includecompounds that emit a detectable light signal, e.g., fluorophores orluminescent (e.g., chemiluminescent) compounds that can be detected in ahomogeneous mixture. More than one label, and more than one type oflabel, may be present on a particular probe, or detection may rely onusing a mixture of probes in which each probe is labeled with a compoundthat produces a detectable signal (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,180,340and 6,350,579, each incorporated by reference herein). Labels may beattached to a probe by various means including covalent linkages,chelation, and ionic interactions, but preferably the label iscovalently attached. For example, in some embodiments, a detection probehas an attached chemiluminescent label such as, e.g., an acridiniumester (AE) compound (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,185,439; 5,639,604;5,585,481; and 5,656,744; each incorporated by reference herein), whichin typical variations is attached to the probe by a non-nucleotidelinker (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,585,481; 5,656,744; and 5,639,604,particularly at column 10, line 6 to column 11, line 3, and Example 8;each incorporated by reference herein). In other embodiments, adetection probe comprises both a fluorescent label and a quencher, acombination that is particularly useful in fluorescence resonance energytransfer (FRET) assays. Specific variations of such detection probesinclude, e.g., a TaqMan detection probe (Roche Molecular Diagnostics)and a “molecular beacon” (see, e.g., Tyagi et al., Nature Biotechnol.16:49-53, 1998; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,118,801 and 5,312,728; eachincorporated by reference herein).

A detection probe oligomer in accordance with the present invention mayfurther include a non-target-hybridizing sequence. Specific embodimentsof such detection probes include, for example, probes that formconformations held by intramolecular hybridization, such asconformations generally referred to as hairpins. Particularly suitablehairpin probes include a “molecular torch” (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.6,849,412; 6,835,542; 6,534,274; and 6,361,945, each incorporated byreference herein) and a “molecular beacon” (see, e.g., Tyagi et al.,supra; U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,801 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,728, supra).Methods for using such hairpin probes are well known in the art.

In yet other embodiments, a detection probe is a linear oligomers thatdoes not substantially form conformations held by intramolecular bonds.In specific variations, a linear detection probe oligomer includes achemiluminescent compound as the label, preferably an acridinium ester(AE) compound.

In yet other variations, an oligomer combination for detection of a G.vaginalis nucleic acid further comprises a pseudotarget oligomer thatcan be amplified using first and second amplification oligomers asdescribed herein. Typically, the pseudotarget oligomer is sufficientlydistinct from the target region of GV nucleic acid flanked by theamplification oligomers, such that a detection probe configured tospecifically hybridize to a GV-specific amplification product, generatedusing the amplification oligomers on a GV target nucleic acid template,will not specifically hybridize to an amplification product generatedusing the same amplification oligomers with the pseudotarget oligomertemplate. Pseudotargets may be used to adjust assay sensitivity bychanging the cutoff used to classify a sample as positive or negative,rather than re-optimizing the entire amp system to get lower sensitivitythrough lower amplification efficiency. Accordingly, such pseudotargetoligomers are particularly useful for “detuning” assay sensitivity incertain embodiments of the detection methods described herein. In aspecific embodiment, the pseudotarget oligomer has a sequencesubstantially corresponding to, or identical to, SEQ ID NO:34(amplifiable using, e.g., amplification oligomers comprisingtarget-hybridizing sequences of SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:39).

Also provided by the present invention are detection probe oligomers,capture probe oligomers, and pseudotarget oligomers as described herein.

In another aspect, the present invention provides methods for detectinga G. vaginalis 16S rRNA or a gene encoding a G. vaginalis 16S rRNA in asample using an oligomer combination as described herein. Such a methodgenerally includes (a) contacting the sample with at least two oligomersfor amplifying a GV nucleic acid target region corresponding to a GV 16SrRNA target nucleic acid, where the oligomer combination includes firstand second amplification oligomers as described above; (b) performing anin vitro nucleic acid amplification reaction, where any GV targetnucleic acid present in the sample is used as a template for generatingan amplification product; and (c) detecting the presence or absence ofthe amplification product, thereby indicating the presence or absence ofGV in the sample. A detection method in accordance with the presentinvention typically further includes the step of obtaining the sample tobe contacted with the at least two oligomers. In certain embodiments,“obtaining” a sample to be used in steps (a)-(c) includes, for example,receiving the sample at a testing facility or other location where oneor more steps of the method are performed, and/or retrieving the samplefrom a location (e.g., from storage or other depository) within afacility where one or more steps of the method are performed.

In certain embodiments, the method further includes purifying theGardnerella vaginalis target nucleic acid from other components in thesample before the contacting step. Such purification may include mayinclude methods of separating and/or concentrating organisms containedin a sample from other sample components. In particular embodiments,purifying the target nucleic acid includes capturing the target nucleicacid to specifically or non-specifically separate the target nucleicacid from other sample components. Non-specific target capture methodsmay involve selective precipitation of nucleic acids from asubstantially aqueous mixture, adherence of nucleic acids to a supportthat is washed to remove other sample components, or other means ofphysically separating nucleic acids from a mixture that contains G.vaginalis nucleic acid and other sample components.

In some embodiments, a 16S rRNA target nucleic of G. vaginalis or a geneencoding the 16S rRNA of G. vaginalis is selectively separated fromother sample components by specifically hybridizing the GV targetnucleic acid to a capture probe oligomer. The capture probe oligomercomprises a target-hybridizing sequence configured to specificallyhybridize to a GV 16S rRNA target sequence so as to form atarget-sequence:capture-probe complex that is separated from samplecomponents. Suitable capture probe target-hybridizing sequences include,e.g., the sequences shown in SEQ ID NOs:40-46. In a preferred variation,the specific target capture binds the GV 16S rRNA target:capture-probecomplex to an immobilized probe to form atarget:capture-probe:immobilized-probe complex that is separated fromthe sample and, optionally, washed to remove non-target samplecomponents (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,110,678; 6,280,952; and6,534,273; each incorporated by reference herein). In such variations,the capture probe oligomer further comprises a sequence or moiety thatbinds attaches the capture probe, with its bound target sequence, to animmobilized probe attached to a solid support, thereby permitting thehybridized target nucleic acid to be separated from other samplecomponents.

In more specific embodiments, the capture probe oligomer includes a tailportion (e.g., a 3′ tail) that is not complementary to the G, vaginalis16S rRNA target sequence but that specifically hybridizes to a sequenceon the immobilized probe, thereby serving as the moiety allowing thetarget nucleic acid to be separated from other sample components, suchas previously described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,678, incorporatedherein by reference. Any sequence may be used in a tail region, which isgenerally about 5 to 50 nt long, and preferred embodiments include asubstantially homopolymeric tail of about 10 to 40 nt (e.g., A₁₀ toA₄₀), more preferably about 14 to 33 nt (e.g., A₁₄ to A₃₀ or T₃A₁₄ toT₃A₃₀), that bind to a complementary immobilized sequence (e.g., poly-T)attached to a solid support, e.g., a matrix or particle. For example, inspecific embodiments of a capture probe comprising a 3′ tail, thecapture probe has a sequence selected from SEQ ID NOs:25-31.

Target capture typically occurs in a solution phase mixture thatcontains one or more capture probe oligomers that hybridize specificallyto the 16S rRNA of G. vaginalis or gene target sequence underhybridizing conditions, usually at a temperature higher than the T_(m),of the tail-sequence:immobilized-probe-sequence duplex. For embodimentscomprising a capture probe tail, the GV-16S-rRNA-target:capture-probecomplex is captured by adjusting the hybridization conditions so thatthe capture probe tail hybridizes to the immobilized probe, and theentire complex on the solid support is then separated from other samplecomponents. The support with the attachedimmobilized-probe:capture-probe:GV-16S-rRNA-target-sequence may bewashed one or more times to further remove other sample components.Preferred embodiments use a particulate solid support, such asparamagnetic beads, so that particles with the attachedGV-16S-rRNA-target:capture-probe:immobilized-probe complex may besuspended in a washing solution and retrieved from the washing solution,preferably by using magnetic attraction. To limit the number of handlingsteps, the G. vaginalis 16S rRNA target nucleic acid may be amplified bysimply mixing the GV 16S rRNA target sequence in the complex on thesupport with amplification oligomers and proceeding with amplificationsteps.

Amplifying a Gardnerella vaginalis target sequence utilizes an in vitroamplification reaction using at least two amplification oligomers thatflank a target region to be amplified. In particular embodiments, thetarget region to be amplified substantially corresponds to SEQ ID NO:88from about nucleotide position 164 to about nucleotide position 205.Particularly suitable amplification oligomer combinations foramplification of these target regions are described herein (see, e.g.,paragraphs [83]-[86], supra). Suitable amplification methods include,for example, replicase-mediated amplification, polymerase chain reaction(PCR), ligase chain reaction (LCR), strand-displacement amplification(SDA), and transcription-mediated or transcription-associatedamplification (TMA). Such amplification methods are well-known in theart (see, e.g., paragraphs [54] and [55], supra) and are readily used inaccordance with the methods of the present invention.

For example, some amplification methods that use TMA amplificationinclude the following steps. Briefly, the target nucleic acid thatcontains the sequence to be amplified is provided as single strandednucleic acid (e.g., ssRNA or ssDNA). Those skilled in the art willappreciate that conventional melting of double stranded nucleic acid(e.g., dsDNA) may be used to provide single-stranded target nucleicacids. A promoter primer binds specifically to the target nucleic acidat its target sequence and a reverse transcriptase (RT) extends the 3′end of the promoter primer using the target strand as a template tocreate a cDNA copy of the target sequence strand, resulting in anRNA:DNA duplex. An RNase digests the RNA strand of the RNA:DNA duplexand a second primer binds specifically to its target sequence, which islocated on the cDNA strand downstream from the promoter primer end. RTsynthesizes a new DNA strand by extending the 3′ end of the secondprimer using the first cDNA template to create a dsDNA that contains afunctional promoter sequence. An RNA polymerase specific for thepromoter sequence then initiates transcription to produce RNAtranscripts that are about 100 to 1000 amplified copies (“amplicons”) ofthe initial target strand in the reaction. Amplification continues whenthe second primer binds specifically to its target sequence in each ofthe amplicons and RT creates a DNA copy from the amplicon RNA templateto produce an RNA:DNA duplex. RNase in the reaction mixture digests theamplicon RNA from the RNA:DNA duplex and the promoter primer bindsspecifically to its complementary sequence in the newly synthesized DNA.RT extends the 3′ end of the promoter primer to create a dsDNA thatcontains a functional promoter to which the RNA polymerase binds totranscribe additional amplicons that are complementary to the targetstrand. The autocatalytic cycles of making more amplicon copies repeatduring the course of the reaction resulting in about a billion-foldamplification of the target nucleic acid present in the sample. Theamplified products may be detected in real-time during amplification, orat the end of the amplification reaction by using a probe that bindsspecifically to a target sequence contained in the amplified products.Detection of a signal resulting from the bound probes indicates thepresence of the target nucleic acid in the sample.

In some embodiments, the method utilizes a “reverse” TMA reaction. Insuch variations, the initial or “forward” amplification oligomer is apriming oligonucleotide that hybridizes to the target nucleic acid inthe vicinity of the 3′-end of the target region. A reverse transcriptase(RT) synthesizes a cDNA strand by extending the 3′-end of the primerusing the target nucleic acid as a template. The second or “reverse”amplification oligomer is a promoter primer or promoter provider havinga target-hybridizing sequence configure to hybridize to atarget-sequence contained within the synthesized cDNA strand. Where thesecond amplification oligomer is a promoter primer, RT extends the 3′end of the promoter primer using the cDNA strand as a template to createa second, cDNA copy of the target sequence strand, thereby creating adsDNA that contains a functional promoter sequence. Amplification thencontinues essentially as described above in paragraph [101] forinitiation of transcription from the promoter sequence utilizing an RNApolymerase. Alternatively, where the second amplification oligomer is apromoter provider, a terminating oligonucleotide, which hybridizes to atarget sequence that is in the vicinity to the 5′-end of the targetregion, is typically utilized to terminate extension of the primingoligomer at the 3′-end of the terminating oligonucleotide, therebyproviding a defined 3′-end for the initial cDNA strand synthesized byextension from the priming oligomer. The target-hybridizing sequence ofthe promoter provider then hybridizes to the defined 3′-end of theinitial cDNA strand, and the 3′-end of the cDNA strand is extended toadd sequence complementary to the promoter sequence of the promoterprovider, resulting in the formation of a double-stranded promotersequence. The initial cDNA strand is then used a template to transcribemultiple RNA transcripts complementary to the initial cDNA strand, notincluding the promoter portion, using an RNA polymerase that recognizesthe double-stranded promoter and initiates transcription therefrom. Eachof these RNA transcripts is then available to serve as a template forfurther amplification from the first priming amplification oligomer.

Detection of the amplified products may be accomplished by a variety ofmethods. The nucleic acids may be associated with a surface that resultsin a physical change, such as a detectable electrical change. Amplifiednucleic acids may be detected by concentrating them in or on a matrixand detecting the nucleic acids or dyes associated with them (e.g., anintercalating agent such as ethidium bromide or cyber green), ordetecting an increase in dye associated with nucleic acid in solutionphase. Other methods of detection may use nucleic acid detection probesthat are configured to specifically hybridize to a sequence in theamplified product and detecting the presence of the probe:productcomplex, or by using a complex of probes that may amplify the detectablesignal associated with the amplified products (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos.5,424,413; 5,451,503; and 5,849,481; each incorporated by referenceherein). Directly or indirectly labeled probes that specificallyassociate with the amplified product provide a detectable signal thatindicates the presence of the target nucleic acid in the sample. Forexample, if the target nucleic acid is the 16S rRNA of G. vaginalis, theamplified product will contain a target sequence in or complementary toa sequence in the 16S rRNA of GV, and a probe will bind directly orindirectly to a sequence contained in the amplified product to indicatethe presence of the 16S rRNA of GV in the tested sample.

Preferred embodiments of detection probes that hybridize to thecomplementary amplified sequences may be DNA or RNA oligomers, oroligomers that contain a combination of DNA and RNA nucleotides, oroligomers synthesized with a modified backbone, e.g., an oligomer thatincludes one or more 2′-methoxy substituted ribonucleotides. Probes usedfor detection of the amplified G. vaginalis rRNA sequences may beunlabeled and detected indirectly (e.g., by binding of another bindingpartner to a moiety on the probe) or may be labeled with a variety ofdetectable labels. Particular embodiments of detection probes suitablefor use in accordance with methods of the present invention are furtherdescribed herein (see, e.g., paragraphs [89]-[92], supra). In somepreferred embodiments of the method for detecting G. vaginalis 16S rRNAsequences, such as in certain embodiments using transcription-mediatedamplification (TMA), the detection probe is a linear chemiluminescentlylabeled probe, more preferably, a linear acridinium ester (AE) labeledprobe.

Oligomers that are not intended to be extended by a nucleic acidpolymerase preferably include a blocker group that replaces the 3′ OH toprevent enzyme-mediated extension of the oligomer in an amplificationreaction. For example, blocked amplification oligomers and/or detectionprobes present during amplification preferably do not have a functional3′ OH and instead include one or more blocking groups located at or nearthe 3′ end. A blocking group near the 3′ end is preferably within fiveresidues of the 3′ end and is sufficiently large to limit binding of apolymerase to the oligomer, and other preferred embodiments contain ablocking group covalently attached to the 3′ terminus. Many differentchemical groups may be used to block the 3′ end, e.g., alkyl groups,non-nucleotide linkers, alkane-diol dideoxynucleotide residues, andcordycepin.

Examples of oligomers that are typically blocked at the 3′ end—and whichare particularly suitable in certain embodiments usingtranscription-mediated amplification—are promoter providers. Asdescribed previously, a promoter provider comprises firsttarget-hybridizing region and, situated 5′ to the first region, a secondregion comprising a promoter sequence for an RNA polymerase. Thepromoter provider oligonucleotide is modified to prevent the initiationof DNA synthesis from its 3′-terminus, such as by including a blockergroup as discussed above. In some embodiments, a promoter provider foruse in accordance with the detection method comprises atarget-hybridizing sequence having a sequence substantiallycorresponding to, or identical to, a sequence selected from SEQ IDNO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, and SEQ ID NO:39. Inother embodiments, the target-hybridizing of a promoter providersubstantially corresponds to, or is identical to, a sequence containedin the sequence of SEQ ID NO:86 and optionally including at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:85 (e.g., a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:36, SEQID NO:38, or SEQ ID NO:39). In specific variations, a promoter providerfor use in accordance with the detection method has the sequence shownin SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5.

Another example of typically 3′-blocked oligomers are terminating(“blocker”) oligonucleotides, previously described above. A terminatingoligomer is typically used in combination with, e.g., a promoterprovider amplification oligomer, such as, for example, in certainembodiments described herein relating to transcription-mediatedamplification (TMA). A terminating oligomer hybridizes to a sequencecontained within the target nucleic acid in the vicinity of the 5′-endof the target region so as to “terminate” primer extension of a nascentnucleic acid that includes a priming oligonucleotide, thereby providinga defined 3′-end for the nascent nucleic acid strand. Particularlysuitable terminating oligomers for use in accordance with the presentinvention have a sequence substantially corresponding to, or identicalto, a selected from SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ IDNO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, and SEQ ID NO:16.

Other embodiments using transcription-mediated amplification utilize apromoter primer, which comprises a first target-hybridizing region and,situated 5′ to the first region, a second region comprising a promotersequence for an RNA polymerase, but which is not modified to prevent theinitiation of DNA synthesis from its 3′-terminus. In some embodiments, apromoter primer for use in accordance with the detection methodcomprises a target-hybridizing sequence having a sequence substantiallycorresponding to, or identical to, a sequence selected from SEQ IDNO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38, and SEQ ID NO:39. Inother embodiments, the target-hybridizing sequence of a promoter primersubstantially corresponds to, or is identical to, a sequence containedin the sequence of SEQ ID NO:86 and optionally including at least thesequence of SEQ ID NO:85 (e.g., a sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:36, SEQID NO:38, or SEQ ID NO:39). In specific variations, a promoter primerfor use in accordance with the detection method has the sequence shownin SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, or SEQ ID NO:5.

Assays for detection of the G. vaginalis 16S rRNA nucleic acid mayoptionally include a non-GV 16S rRNA internal control (IC) nucleic acidthat is amplified and detected in the same assay reaction mixtures byusing amplification and detection oligomers specific for the ICsequence. IC nucleic acid sequences can be synthetic nucleic acidsequences that are spiked into a sample or the IC nucleic acid sequencesmay be a cellular component. IC nucleic acid sequences that are cellularcomponents can be from exogenous cellular sources or endogenous cellularsources relative to the specimen. An exogenous cellular source, forexample, is a cell that is added into the sample and that then flowsthrough the sample processing procedures along with the specimen. A moreparticular example would be the addition of a HeLa cell, Jurkat cell,SiLa cell or other to the sample medium along with the specimen that iscollected for testing (e.g., a vaginal swab specimen). The specimen andthe exogenous cells are then processed, amplified and detected. Thespecimen being amplified and detected using amplification and detectionoligomers for identifying the target sequence of interest and theexogenous cells being amplified and detected using amplification anddetection oligomers for identifying an IC target sequence such as 18SrRNA. An endogenous cellular source is a cellular source that wouldnaturally be obtained when gathering the specimen. One example:epithelial cells will present when obtaining a specimen via a vaginalswab. Similar then to the above exemplary exogenous cells processdescribed, the specimen and the endogenous cellular source are bothprocessed, amplified, and detected. The specimen being amplified anddetected using amplification and detection oligomers for identifying thetarget sequence of interest and the endogenous cells being amplified anddetected using amplification and detection oligomers for identifying anIC target sequence; typically a housekeeping gene present in theendogenous cellular source, such as a beta-globulin gene. (See e.g.,Poljak et al., J. Clin. Virol, 25: S89-97, 2002; U.S. Pat. No.6,410,321; and US Patent Application Publication No. 2004-0023288; eachincorporated by reference herein). Use of a cellular source IC allowsfor a control from sample collection through detection. Syntheticnucleic acid sequences provide for control of amplification anddetection.

In certain embodiments, amplification and detection of a signal from theamplified IC sequence demonstrates that the assay reagents, conditions,and performance of assay steps were properly used in the assay if nosignal is obtained for the intended target G. vaginalis nucleic acid(e.g., samples that test negative for the 16S rRNA of G. vaginalis). AnIC may also be used as an internal calibrator for the assay when aquantitative result is desired, i.e., the signal obtained from the ICamplification and detection is used to set a parameter used in analgorithm for quantitating the amount of GV nucleic acid in a samplebased on the signal obtained for amplified a GV 16S rRNA targetsequence. ICs are also useful for monitoring the integrity of one ormore steps in an assay. A preferred embodiment of a synthetic IC nucleicacid sequence is a randomized sequence that has been derived from anaturally occurring source (e.g., an HIV sequence that has beenrearranged in a random manner). Another preferred IC nucleic acidsequence may be an RNA transcript isolated from a naturally occurringsource or synthesized in vitro, such as by making transcripts from acloned randomized sequence such that the number of copies of IC includedin an assay may be accurately determined. The primers and probe for theIC target sequence are configured and synthesized by using anywell-known method provided that the primers and probe function foramplification of the IC target sequence and detection of the amplifiedIC sequence using substantially the same assay conditions used toamplify and detect the GV target sequence. In preferred embodiments thatinclude a target capture-based purification step, it is preferred that atarget capture probe specific for the IC target be included in the assayin the target capture step so that the IC is treated in the assay in amanner analogous to that for the intended GV analyte in all of the assaysteps.

Assays for detection of the G. vaginalis 16S rRNA nucleic acid mayoptionally include a pseudotarget. A “pseudotarget” is anoligonucleotide that can be co-amplified with the target polynucleotidein a single amplification reaction. The pseudotarget and targetpolynucleotide may be amplified using the same set of oligonucleotideprimers. The pseudotarget and the target polynucleotide will benon-identical molecules so that the target probe will not detect thepseudotarget.

Amplification methods using pseudotargets are useful for quantifyingtarget polynucleotides present in a test sample. These methods includessteps for: (1) obtaining a test sample that contains an unknown amountof a target polynucleotide; (2) combining a predetermined amount of thistest sample with a predetermined amount of a pseudotarget; (3)co-amplifying in an amplification reaction the target polynucleotide andthe pseudotarget to produce a collection of amplification products thatincludes both a target amplicon and a pseudotarget amplicon; and (4)quantifying the target amplicon without relying on information regardingthe amount of pseudotarget amplicon produced in the reaction, wherebythe quantity of target amplicon is related in a dose-dependent manner tothe unknown amount target polynucleotide that was present in theoriginal test sample. Amplification reactions that include apseudotarget have been shown under certain conditions to provide uniformresults having less variability than similar amplification reactionslacking pseudotarget. This is particularly true for amplification ofsamples containing a low level of target nucleic acid. Using apseudotarget in an amplification reaction changes the probe RLU outputfrom an all-or-none response to a response wherein the RLU output isproportional to target input. Thus, pseudotarget allows for adjustmentsin assay sensitivity by changing the cutoff used to classify a sample aspositive or negative, rather than re-optimizing the entire amp system toget lower sensitivity through lower amplification efficiency.Pseudotargets are further advantageous for detecting low-levels oftarget nucleic acid in a specimen. (See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,338,incorporated by reference herein).

Detecting G. vaginalis to diagnosis bacterial vaginosis in a clinicalsample will preferably use higher RLU cut-off values than those used fordetecting the presence/absence of GV from a sample. This is because fordiagnosis of BV, normal samples can be positive for relatively lowamounts of G. vaginalis while BV samples will have relatively greateramounts of G. vaginalis. So for diagnosis, a higher RLU cut-off value isone approach to differentiating normal levels of GV from elevated levelspresent in a sample. Depending on the desired application for theamplification and detection oligomers described herein, a skilledartisan will set an appropriate RLU cut-off value, with lower valuesbeing useful for detecting all GV present in a sample, and higher RLUvalues being useful for detecting a threshold amount of GV in a sample.

Additional microbe detection assays can be similarly performed fordetermining the presence and/or relative amount of a plurality ofmicrobes implicated in BV. By way of example only, such plurality ofmicrobes can include one or more of anaerobic gram-positive cocci;Atopobium vaginae; Lactobacillus sp.; Lactobacillus iners; Lactobacilluscrispatus group; Lactobacillus gasseri group; Trichomonas sp.;Trichomonas vaginalis; Candida sp.; Eggerthella sp.; Bacterium from theorder Clostridiales; Clostridium-like sp.; Prevotella sp.; Prevotellabivia group; Prevotella buccalis group; Atopobium sp.; Atopobiumvaginae; Enterobacteria; Peptostreptococcus micros; Aerococcuschristensenii; Leptotrichia amnionii; Peptoniphilus sp.; Dialister sp.;Mycoplasma hominis; Sneathia sanguinegens; Anaerococcus tetradius;Mobiluncus sp.; Mobiluncus hominis; Eggerthella hongkongensis;Megasphaera sp.; Leptotrichia sanguinegens and Finegoldia magna. Assaysmay be performed separately or multiplexed. Thus, a diagnosis of BV caninclude identifying a plurality of microbes and optionally determiningtheir relative abundances in a sample.

Also provided by the subject invention is a reaction mixture foramplification and/or detection of a Gardnerella vaginalis target nucleicacid. A reaction mixture in accordance with the present invention atleast comprises one or more of the following: an oligomer combination asdescribed herein for amplification of a G. vaginalis target nucleicacid; a capture probe oligomer as described herein for purifying the G.vaginalis target nucleic acid; a detection probe oligomer as describedherein for determining the presence or absence of a G. vaginalisamplification product; and a pseudotarget oligomer as described hereinfor detuning sensitivity of an assay for detecting the G. vaginalistarget nucleic acid. The reaction mixture may further include a numberof optional components such as, for example, arrays of capture probenucleic acids. For an amplification reaction mixture, the reactionmixture will typically include other reagents suitable for performing invitro amplification such as, e.g., buffers, salt solutions, appropriatenucleotide triphosphates (e.g., dATP, dCTP, dGTP, dTTP, ATP, CTP, GTPand UTP), and/or enzymes (e.g., reverse transcriptase, and/or RNApolymerase), and will typically include test sample components, in whicha G. vaginalis target nucleic acid may or may not be present. Inaddition, for a reaction mixture that includes a detection probetogether with an amplification oligomer combination, selection ofamplification oligomers and detection probe oligomers for a reactionmixture are linked by a common target region (i.e., the reaction mixturewill include a probe that binds to a sequence amplifiable by anamplification oligomer combination of the reaction mixture).

Also provided by the subject invention are kits for practicing themethods as described herein. A kit in accordance with the presentinvention at least comprises one or more of the following: anamplification oligomer combination as described herein for amplificationof a G. vaginalis target nucleic acid; a capture probe oligomer asdescribed herein for purifying the G. vaginalis target nucleic acid; adetection probe oligomer as described herein for determining thepresence or absence of a G. vaginalis amplification product; and apseudotarget oligomer as described herein for detuning sensitivity of anassay for detecting the G. vaginalis target nucleic acid. The kits mayfurther include a number of optional components such as, for example,arrays of capture probe nucleic acids. Other reagents that may bepresent in the kits include reagents suitable for performing in vitroamplification such as, e.g., buffers, salt solutions, appropriatenucleotide triphosphates (e.g., dATP, dCTP, dGTP, dTTP, ATP, CTP, GTPand UTP), and/or enzymes (e.g., reverse transcriptase, and/or RNApolymerase). Oligomers as described herein may be packaged in a varietyof different embodiments, and those skilled in the art will appreciatethat the invention embraces many different kit configurations. Forexample, a kit may include amplification oligomers for only one targetregion of a G. vaginalis genome, or it may include amplificationoligomers for multiple G. vaginalis target regions. In addition, for akit that includes a detection probe together with an amplificationoligomer combination, selection of amplification oligomers and detectionprobe oligomers for a kit are linked by a common target region (i.e.,the kit will include a probe that binds to a sequence amplifiable by anamplification oligomer combination of the kit). In certain embodiments,the kit further includes a set of instructions for practicing methods inaccordance with the present invention, where the instructions may beassociated with a package insert and/or the packaging of the kit or thecomponents thereof.

The invention is further illustrated by the following non-limitingexamples.

Reagents

Various reagents are identified in the examples below, the formulationsand pH values (where relevant) of these reagents were as follows.

A “Lysis Buffer” contains 15 mM sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate,15 mM sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, 1.0 mM EDTA disodiumdihydrate, 1.0 mM EGTA free acid, and 110 mM lithium lauryl sulfate, pH6.7.

A “Target Capture Reagent” contains 250 mM HEPES free acid dihydrate,310 mM lithium hydroxide monohydrate, 1.88 M lithium chloride, 100 mMEDTA free acid, 2 M lithium hydroxide to pH 6.4, and 250 μg/ml 1 micronmagnetic particles Sera-MagTM MG-CM Carboxylate Modified (Seradyn, Inc.;Indianapolis, Ind.; Cat. No. 24152105-050450) having oligo(dT)14covalently bound thereto.

A “Wash Solution” contains 10 mM HEPES free acid, 6.5 mM sodiumhydroxide, 1 mM EDTA free acid, 0.3% (v/v) ethyl alcohol absolute, 0.02%(w/v) methyl paraben, 0.01% (w/v) propyl paraben, 150 mM sodiumchloride, 0.1% (w/v) lauryl sulfate, sodium (SDS), and 4 M sodiumhydroxide to pH 7.5.

An “Amplification Reagent” is a lyophilized form of a 3.6 mL solutioncontaining 26.7 mM rATP, 5.0 mM rCTP, 33.3 mM rGTP and 5.0 mM rUTP, 125mM HEPES free acid, 8% (w/v) trehalose dihydrate, 1.33 mM dATP, 1.33 mMdCTP, 1.33 mM dGTP, 1.33 mM dTTP, and 4 M sodium hydroxide to pH 7.5.The Amplification Reagent is reconstituted in 9.7 mL of “AmplificationReagent Reconstitution Solution” described below.

An “Amplification Reagent Reconstitution Solution” contains 0.4% (v/v)ethyl alcohol absolute, 0.10% (w/v) methyl paraben, 0.02% (w/v) propylparaben, 33 mM KCl, 30.6 mM MgCl2, 0.003% phenol red.

An “Enzyme Reagent” is a lyophilized form of a 1.45 mL solutioncontaining 20 mM HEPES free acid dihydrate, 125 mM N-acetyl-L-cysteine,0.1 mM EDTA disodium dihydrate, 0.2% (v/v) TRITON® X-100 detergent, 0.2M trehalose dihydrate, 0.90 RTU/mL Moloney murine leukemia virus(“MMLV”) reverse transcriptase, 0.20 U/mL T7 RNA polymerase, and 4Msodium hydroxide to pH 7.0. (One “unit” or “RTU” of activity is definedas the synthesis and release of 5.75 fmol cDNA in 15 minutes at 37degrees C. for MMLV reverse transcriptase, and for T7 RNA polymerase,one “unit” or “U” of activity is defined as the production of 5.0 fmolRNA transcript in 20 minutes at 37 degrees C.) The Enzyme Reagent isreconstituted in 3.6 mL of “Enzyme Reagent Reconstitution Solution”described below.

An “Enzyme Reagent Reconstitution Solution” contains 50 mM HEPES freeacid, 1 mM EDTA free acid, 10% (v/v) TRITON X-100 detergent, 120 mMpotassium chloride, 20% (v/v) glycerol anhydrous, and 4 M sodiumhydroxide to pH 7.0.

A “Probe Reagent” is a lyophilized form of a 3.6 mL solution containing110 mM lithium lauryl sulfate, 10 mM of mercaptoethane sulfonic acid,100 mM lithium succinate, and 3% PVP. The Probe Reagent is reconstitutedin 36 mL of “Probe Reagent Reconstitution Solution” described below.

A “Probe Reagent Reconstitution Solution” contains 100 mM succinic acid,73 mM lithium lauryl sulfate, 100 mM lithium hydroxide monohydrate, 15mM aldrithiol, 1.2 M lithium chloride, 20 mM EDTA, 3% (v/v) ethylalcohol, and 2M lithium hydroxide to pH 4.7.

A “Selection Reagent” contains 600 mM boric acid, ACS, 182.5 mM sodiumhydroxide, ACS, 1% (v/v) TRITON X-100 detergent, and 4 M sodiumhydroxide to pH 8.5.

“Detection Reagents” comprise Detect Reagent I, which contains 1 mMnitric acid and 32 mM hydrogen peroxide, 30% (v/v), and Detect ReagentII, which contains 1.5 M sodium hydroxide.

An “Oil Reagent” is a silicone oil.

EXAMPLE 1 Reverse TMA (RTMA) T7 Primer Screen for Gardnerella vaginalis

The purpose of this experiment was to screen several T7 primers in anRTMA assay with a non-T7 primer, blocker, and probe to identify a set ofoligos that amplify with adequate of specificity.

Protocol

The Amplification Reagent was prepared to contain 0.05 pm/microliter ofBlocker oligo SEQ ID NO:12, 0.1pm/microliter of Non-T7 oligo SEQ ID NO:8and 0.08 pm/microliter of one of the following T7 oligos: SEQ ID NOS:1,2, 3, 4 or 5. The Probe Reagent was prepared to contain 5E6 RLU/100microliters of SEQ ID NO:20. Target capture and amplification reactionswere prepared and performed as follows: Add 400 ul of 5.0E3 CFU/mLGardnerella vaginalis lysate to each reaction tube. Add 100 ul of TargetCapture Reagent (“TCR”) reagent with SEQ ID NO:26 at a concentration of0.05 pm/ul. Incubate in a 60 degree C. Water Bath for 20 minutes. Coolto room temperature for 20 minutes. Place target capture reaction tubeonto a magnetic separation device such as the DTS® 400 System (Gen-ProbeIncorporated, San Diego, Calif.), for 5 minutes; Aspirate and add 1 mLWash Solution; Vortex and set back on DTS System for another 5 minutes;and Aspirate again. Add 75 ul of the Amplification Reagent and 200 ulOil Reagent prepared above to each reaction tube. Incubate 60 degrees C.for 5 minutes in water bath. Cool to 42 degrees C. in water bath forabout 5 minutes. Add 25 ul of Enzyme Reagent to each reaction tube,vortex and incubate 42 degrees C. for 60 minutes. Then add 100 ul of theProbe Reagent prepared above to each well; incubate 60 degrees C. for 20minutes. Add 250 ul of Selection Reagent to each well and incubate 10minutes at 60 degrees C. Cool to room temperature and read results on aluminometer, such as the LEADER HC luminometer (Gen-Probe Incorporated,San Diego, Calif.), that is capable of injecting 200 ul of DetectReagent I followed by 200 ul of Detect Reagent II.

Results and Conclusion

TABLE 1 Results for each T7 primer screen with Negative (N = 5) andPositive Gardnerella vaginalis lysate Amt GV SEQ ID NO: 1 SEQ ID NO: 2SEQ ID NO: 3 SEQ ID NO: 4 SEQ ID NO: 5 0 (Avg RLU) 5,019,056 24,2221,559,159 24,240 20,957 0 (±SD) 3,549,040.1 6,047.1 1,432,482.5 13,224.6866.4 5e6 CFU/mL 12,130,482 12,065,701 12,554,996 12,124,125 802,344(Avg RLU) 5e6 CFU/mL 180908 392,116.6 481,373.1 1,000,385.9 55,845.1(±SD)

Summary of Results:

-   -   1. The results indicated a significant difference in signal to        noise with three of the five T7 primers tested in this example.    -   2. SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:5 all had signal to        noise ratios of 10-fold or greater.    -   3. Background signal for SEQ ID NO:5 was in the 20-30K RLU        range, using with 5.0E6 RLU/ul of Probe Reagent input.    -   4. Preferably, the limit of detection (“LOD”) for an assay that        detects GV to diagnose bacterial vaginosis is set at a high        range of ˜1.0E6 CFU/mL, several of the above oligomer        combinations are useful in such an assay. SEQ ID NO:5 was        selected for use in further assays using a high cutoff value        with or without a pseudotarget.

EXAMPLE 2 Probe and Specificity Panel for Gardnerella vaginalis

The previous experiment identified several T7 primers that could be usedfor the detection of GV lysates. The purpose of this next experiment wasto identify additional AE-probes, identify probes with the best signalto noise ratio, identify additional non-T7 primers, and perform aspecificity screen to detect GV in the presence of Lactobacilluscrispatus, Lactobacillus vaginalis, and Bifidobacterium adolescentis.

Protocol

The Amplification Reagent was prepared generally as described in Example1, using Blocker oligo SEQ ID NO:12, Non-T7 oligo SEQ ID NO:8 and T7oligo SEQ ID NO:5. The Probe Reagent was prepared generally as describedin Example 1 using one of the following detection probes: SEQ ID NOS:20,21, 22 or 23. The Amplification Protocol generally followed Example 1.

Results and Conclusion

TABLE 3 Probe screening GV assay negative control and 5.0E3 CFU/mL ofGardnerella vaginalis SEQ ID NO: 21 SEQ ID NO: 23 SEQ ID NO: 20 Avg SEQID NO: 22 Avg Amt GV Avg (±SD) % CV (±SD) % CV Avg (±SD) % CV (±SD) % CV0 25,671 6  18,171 9 8,761 4  31,135 5 (1420.5)   (1576.6) (363.3)  (1447.8) 5e3 CFU/mL 198,077 9 268,097 35 199,346 24 340,370 18(17624.3)  (95031) (48602.7)   (62610)

TABLE 4 Specificity panel Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillusvaginalis, and Bifidobacterium asteroids for SEQ ID NO: 20 detectionprobe. Amt Target L. crispatus L. vaginalis B. asteroids 0 CFU/mL30514.2/1318.2 30147.2/387.5  31377.4/1044.1 (Avg/±SD) 1e6 CFU/mL29849.8/264   27011.8/1214.4 28938.2/609.2  (Avg/±SD)

Summary of Results:

-   -   1. The results showed that app probes performed well and that        the best performing probe in this experiment was SEQ ID NO:22,        showing lower background signal.    -   2. The background signal for SEQ ID NO:22 was 9K RLU vs 17-30K        RLU for the other probes.    -   3. Specificity of the assay against two Lactobacillus and one        Bifidobacterium targets showed no cross reactivity at 1.0E6        CFU/mL.

EXAMPLE 3 RTMA Gardnerella vaginalis Non-T7 Primer Comparison and ProbeSpecificity Panel

The purpose of this experiment was to better characterize the RTMA GVassay. This experiment compared the Non-T7's: SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ IDNO:7 with T7: SEQ ID NO:5, blocker: SEQ ID NO:12 and probe: SEQ IDNO:22. This experiment also evaluated specificity with the Lactobacillusvaginalis, Lactobacillus crispatus, and Bifidobacterium panel.

The Amplification Reagent was prepared as is generally described inExample 1 and contained the above mentioned blocker, T7, probe and oneof the two Non-T7 oligomers per each separate reaction condition. TheProbe Reagent was prepared generally as in Example 1, and theAmplification Protocol was also generally as described in Example 1.

Results and Conclusion

TABLE 5 Comparison of SEQ ID NO: 7 vs SEQ ID NO: 8 with two differentconcentrations of GV Amt GV SEQ ID NO: 8 SEQ ID NO: 7 0 CFU/mL Avg3957.2 4477.4 ±SD 125.4 156.6 5e3 CFU/mL Avg 9346.2 537849.4 ±SD 942.640534.6 0 CFU/mL Avg 4525.8 4434.8 ±SD 1103.4 120 5e6 CFU/mL Avg501499.2 9896678 ±SD 263453.7 14557279.7

TABLE 6 Specificity panel for RTMA assay system using SEQ ID NO: 22 AmtTarget 1e6 CFU/mL L. crispatus L. vaginalis B. asteroids Avg 4451.54475.6 4666.6 SD 175.6 151.6 237.3

Summary of Results:

-   -   1. SEQ ID NO:8 had difficulty in detecting 5.0E3 CFU/mL while        SEQ ID NO:7 was capable of detecting from 5.0E3 CFU/mL and up.    -   2. Depending on the dynamic range of the RTMA assay either        non-T7 may be used to help modify the dynamic range of the        assay.

3. Specificity appears to be good using SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID

NO12 and SEQ ID NO:22.

EXAMPLE 4 TMA Amplification and Detection of G. vaginalis rRNA

The purpose of this experiment was to screen TMA oligos against theGardnerella vaginalis (GV) rRNA. The experiment compared six differentT7 primers with one of non-T7 primer and one probe.

Protocol

The Amplification Reagent was prepared as is generally described inExample 1 to contain , 0.2 pm/microliter of SEQ ID NO:53 as a non-T7oligo and 0.067 pm/microliter of one of the following T7: SEQ ID NOS:47,48, 49, 50, 51 or 52. The Probe Reagent was prepared as is generallydescribed in Example 1 and using SEQ ID NO:60. The AmplificationProtocol was generally the same as described in Example 1

Results and Conclusion

TABLE 7 T7 primer screening results with negative reaction wells wereSample Transport Media (STM) only and positive reaction wells were 5.0E3CFU/mL Gardnerella v. samples. SID: stands for SEQ ID NO: Amt GV SID: 47SID: 48 SID: 49 SID: 50 SID: 51 SID: 52 0 Avg 976304.2 793839.43092236.2 4713453.6 4964401.4 5504448.2 ±SD 89595.8 134010 5905821070413.1 407739.6 174113 5e3 CFU/mL Avg 5443076.8 5791614.6 6421935.45939018 5333142 5354959 ±SD 90737.4 213193.4 89854.4 98903.7 113953.2187094.7

Summary of Results:

-   -   1. The results of the experiment showed high background signals        with all of the T7 screened with Non-T7: SEQ ID NO:53 and probe:        SEQ ID NO:60.    -   2. One of the best performing T7 primers appears to be the T7:        SEQ ID NO:48.

EXAMPLE 5 Gardnerella vaginalis Probe Screening Experiment for ForwardTMA Assay

The purpose of this experiment was to screen probes for the forward TMAG. vaginalis rRNA assay. This experiment used T7 (SEQ ID NO:47) andnon-T7 (SEQ ID NO:53).

Protocol

The Amplification Reagent and the Probe Reagent were prepared as isgenerally described in Example 4. The Probe Reagent was made toseparately contain one of SEQ ID NO:55, 56, 57, 58, 59 or 60. TheAmplification Protocol was generally as described in Example 4.

Results and Conclusion

TABLE 8 Results for TMA probe screening of Region 2 Gardnerella v. in aForward TMA amplification system; SID: stands for SEQ ID NO: Amt GV SID:55 SID: 56 SID: 57 SID: 58 SID: 59 SID: 60 0 Avg 3559631.2 409615.66078027.2 4486809 872283.6 535913.2 ±SD 1173711.3 281885.7 832413.6683735.5 122753.7 44781.2 5e3 CFU/mL Avg 5205167.2 4007322.2 9458900.410689387.4 2462665 3084617.8 ±SD 172792.1 110206.6 165281.7 102227.635947.6 434592.4

Summary of Results:

-   -   1. The results of the experiment showed the best results with        signal to noise to be SEQ ID NO:56 with a negative background of        about 190K-900K RLU vs positive signal of about 4E6 RLU/rxn.    -   2. The result of this experiment suggests that the high negative        backgrounds are not due to probe interactions with non-specific        target.

EXAMPLE 6 Gardnerella vaginalis TMA Amplification Non-T7 Primer Screen

The purpose of this experiment was to screen non-T7 primers for theforward TMA amplification assay. This study investigated the effect ofdifferent non-T7 primers when combined with the previous T7 oligo (SEQID NO:47) and Probe oligo (SEQ ID NO:56). This experiment also includedsome closely related targets: Lactobacillus vaginalis, Crispatus, andBifidobacterium vaginalis.

Protocol

The Amplification Reagent and the Probe Reagent were prepared as isgenerally described in Example 4. The Amplification Reagent was made toseparately contain one of the following Non-T7 oligos—SEQ ID NOS:61, 62or 63. The Amplification Protocol was generally as described in Example4.

Results and Conclusion

TABLE 9 Results for Gardnerella vaginalis, non-T7 primer screen with T7(SEQ ID NO: 47) and probe (SEQ ID NO: 56) Amt GV SEQ ID NO: 63 SEQ IDNO: 62 SEQ ID NO: 61 0 Avg 1069184.2 301585.8 966688.8 ±SD 1017554.7406667 1224516 5.0E6 CFU/mL Avg 4259469 4080864.4 4302645.4 ±SD 73233.578340.7 112864.6

TABLE 10 Specificity panel with T7 (SEQ ID NO: 47), non-T7 (SEQ ID NO:53) and probe (SEQ ID NO: 56) Amt 1E6 CFU/mL L. vaginalis L. crispatusB. vaginalis Avg 106966.8 391575.4 461045.8 ±SD 104959.0221 194672.0411259303.0285

Summary of Results:

-   -   1. The result of the non-T7 primer screen showed the best non-T7        being SEQ ID NO:62 with background range from about 5K to 1.0E6        RLU/rxn. A high degree of variability was observed with the        negative panel suggesting partial amplification.    -   2. The second experiment showed that background issues are not        related to target type but instead to some other type of        interaction with oligos or with the STM matrix.

EXAMPLE 7 Gardnerella vaginalis RTMA Specificity Panel

This experiment evaluated the Gardnerella vaginalis RTMA assay against apanel of closely related organisms likely to be present in samplestested for bacterial vaginosis (BV). The panel of organisms included:Atopobium vaginae, Bacteriodes fragilis, Bifidobacterium adolescentis,Escherichia coli, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Gardenerella vaginalis,Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus crispatus, Mobiluncus curtisii,Prevotella bivia, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae.The panel of organisms was tested at 1e6 CFU/mL. The primer set used wasthe T7: SEQ ID NO:5, Non-T7: SEQ ID NO:8, Blocker: SEQ ID NO:12, andProbe: SEQ ID NO:22. The Amplification Reagent, Probe Reagent andAmplification Protocol were all set-up/performed generally as describedin Example 1.

Results and Conclusion

TABLE 11 Results from specificity panel members Organism Avg. ±SD A.vaginae 5358 730.8 B. fragilis 49028 407.3 B. adolescentis 5440 974.9 E.coli 6326 1220.4 F. nucleatum 6062 1150 G. vaginalis 4569836 136461.5 L.acidophilus 5635 901 L. crispatus 7786 2314.3 M. curtisii 7926 1481.6 P.bivia 7776 1513.4 S. aureus 8411 4379.5 S. agalactiae 41816 1353.3

Summary of Results:

-   -   1. The results of this experiment showed little if any        amplification with specific organisms, other than G. vaginalis.    -   2. Positive and negative controls were observed to be in        acceptable ranges for each condition.    -   3. Based on this result the current oligo set appears to work        well with each panel member at 1.0E6 CFU/mL.

Sequences

TABLE 12  Exemplary Oligomer Sequences, Reference Sequences and RegionsSEQ ID NO:  Sequence (5′→3′) Description 1AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACTGGATGCTCCAACTTGAC T7 amp oligo 2AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGAGGATGCTCCAACTTGACGCAT T7 amp oligo 3AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACTGGATGCTCCAACTTGACGC T7 amp oligo 4AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACCAACTTGACGCATGTCTTG T7 amp oligo 5AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACTCCAACTTGACGCATGTCTT T7 amp oligo GTTGG 6CUACAAGCTGATAGGAC Non-T7 amp oligo 7 CCAUTACCCCGCCTACAAGNon-T7 amp oligo 8 GUGGGCCATTACCCCGCCTACAAGC Non-T7 amp oligo 9CUAGGTGGGCCATTAC Non-T7 amp oligo 10 GAAGCCTAGGTGGGCCATTACNon-T7 amp oligo 11 GUUGGAGCAUCCAGCAUUACCACCCGUUUCC Blocker 12GAGCAUCCAGCAUUACCACCCGUUUC Blocker 13 CCAGCAUUACCACCCGUUUCCAAG Blocker14 CAUCCAGCAUUACCACCCGUUUC Blocker 15 CAAGUUGGAGCAUCCAGCAUUAC Blocker 16UGCGUCAAGUUGGAGCAUCCAG Blocker 17 ACAUGCGUCAAGUUGGAGCAUCCAGC Blocker 18CAAGACAUGCGUCAAGUUGGAGC Blocker 19 AACAAGACAUGCGUCAAGUUGGAG Blocker 20CCAUGCCACUAAACACUUUC Detection probe 21 CCATGCCACTAAACACTTTCDetection probe 22 AUCCCAUGCCACUAAACACUU Detection probe 23CCAUCCCAUGCCACUAAACACUUUC Detection probe 24 CAUCCCAUGCCACUAAACACDetection probe 25 CTACTGCTGCCTCCCGTAGGAGTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATarget capture oligo 26 GGACTACCAGGGTATCTAATCCTGTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATarget capture AAAAAAAAA oligo 27GCAGGUUGGUCACGCAUUACTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Target capture AAAAAoligo 28 CAUGGGGCAGGUUGGUCACTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Target captureAAAA oligo 29 CUCUCAGGCCGGCUACTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Target captureoligo 30 GGCCGUCCGCCCUCUCAGGCCGTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Target captureAAAAAAA oligo 31 CUCAGUCCCAAUGUGGCCGUCTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATarget capture oligo 32 TGCGTACAGAACAACCTGGTGAATTTTGTAGCGTTCACCTCGAAPseudotarget 33 TGCGTACAGAACAACCTTCGAACATCCGCCCCATTACCGGGTG Pseudotarget34 CCATTACCCCGCCTACAAGCCCAACAAGACATGCGTCAAGTTG Pseudotarget 35CTGGATGCTCCAACTTGAC Target hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 1 36GGATGCTCCAACTTGACGCATG Target hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 237 CTGGATGCTCCAACTTGACGC Target hybridizing sequence (THS) ofSEQ ID NO: 3 38 CCAACTTGACGCATGTCTTG Target hybridizingsequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 4 39 CTCCAACTTGACGCATGTCTTGTTGGTarget hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 5 40CTACTGCTGCCTCCCGTAGGAG Target hybridizing sequence (THS) ofSEQ ID NO: 25 41 TCGGACTACCAGGGTATCTAATCCTG Target hybridizingsequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 26 42 GCAGGUUGGUCACGCAUUACTarget hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 27 43CAUGGGGCAGGUUGGUCAC Target hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 2844 CUCUCAGGCCGGCUAC Target hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 2945 GGCCGUCCGCCCUCUCAGGCCG Target hybridizing sequence (THS) ofSEQ ID NO: 30 46 CUCAGUCCCAAUGUGGCCGUC Target hybridizingsequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 31 47AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACGAAGGCCTTCATCCCGCACG T7 amp oligo 48AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGAGAAGGCCTTCATCCCGCAC T7 amp oligo 49AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGAGTTTACAACCCGAAGGCCTTC T7 amp oligo ATC 50AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACAAAAGCGGTTTACAACCCGA T7 amp oligo AG 51AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGAGCTCCCAATCAAAAGCGGTTT T7 amp oligo ACAAC 52AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGACTCCCAATCAAAAGCGGTTTA T7 amp oligo C 53CAGTGGGGAATATTGCGCAATG Non-T7 amp oligo 54 GGAAACCCUGACGCAGCGACDetection probe 55 GGGGAAACCCUGACGCAG Detection probe 56GGGAAACCCUGACGCAGC Detection probe 57 CCCUGACGCAGCGACGCC Detection probe58 UGGGGGAAACCCUGACGCAGCG Detection probe 59 GAAACCCUGACGCAGCGACGDetection probe 60 GGAAACCCUGACGCAGCGAC Detection probe 61CCTACGGGAGGCAGCAGTGGG Non-T7 amp oligo 62 CAGTGGGGAATATTGCGCAATGGGNon-T7 amp oligo 63 CAGTGGGGAATATTGCGCAATG Non-T7 amp oligo 64CGAAGGCCTTCATCCCGCACG Target hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 4765 GAAGGCCTTCATCCCGCAC Target hybridizing sequence (THS) ofSEQ ID NO: 48 66 GTTTACAACCCGAAGGCCTTCATC Target hybridizingsequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 49 67 CAAAAGCGGTTTACAACCCGAAGTarget hybridizing sequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 50 68GCTCCCAATCAAAAGCGGTTTACAAC Target hybridizing sequence (THS) ofSEQ ID NO: 51 69 CTCCCAATCAAAAGCGGTTTAC Target hybridizingsequence (THS) of SEQ ID NO: 52 70 CCAACTTGAC Amp oligo core sequence 71CTGGATGCTCCAACTTGACGCATGTCTTGTTGG Amp oligo hybridizing region 72CTACAAG Amp oligo core sequence 73 CCATTAC Amp oligo core sequence 74GTGGGCCATTAC Amp oligo core sequence 75GAAGCCTAGGTGGGCCATTACCCCGCCTACAAGCTGATAGGAC Amp oligo hybridizing region76 GTGGGCCATTACCCCGCCTACAAGCTGATAGGAC Amp oligo hybridizing region 77CCATTACCCCGCCTACAAG Amp oligo core sequence 78 GTGGGCCATTACCCCGCCTACAAGCAmp oligo hybridizing region 79 GAAGCCTAGGTGGGCCATTACCCCGCCTACAAGCAmp oligo hybridizing region 80 CTAGGTGGGCCATTAC Amp oligo core sequence81 GAAGCCTAGGTGGGCCATTAC Amp oligo hybridizing region 82CCATGCCACTAAACAC Detection probe core sequence 83 CCATGCCACTAAACACTTDetection probe core sequence 84 CCATCCCATGCCACTAAACACTTTCDetection probe hybridizing region 85 CCAACTTGACGCATG Amp oligo coresequence 86 GGATGCTCCAACTTGACGCATGTCTTGTTGG Amp oligo hybridizing region87 AATTTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGAGA T7 promoter sequence 88GenBank Accession number EF194095.1 and GardnerellaGI:122938535 (see FIG.1) vaginalis reference sequence first seenat NCBI on Jan. 23, 2007; entered Feb. 19 2008; and withnon-sequence record updates on Mar. 11, 2010.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, although specificembodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes ofillustration, various modifications may be made without deviating fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is notlimited except as by the appended claims. All publications, patents, andpatent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference intheir entireties for all purposes.

What is claimed is:
 1. A combination of at least two oligomers fordetecting in a sample a Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) 16S rRNA or a geneencoding said 16S rRNA, said oligomer combination comprising: first andsecond amplification oligomers for amplifying a GV nucleic acid targetregion corresponding to the GV 16S rRNA or the 16S-rRNA-encoding gene,wherein (a) the first amplification oligomer comprises a firsttarget-hybridizing sequence that is from about 15 to about 27 contiguousnucleotides contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:75 and that includesat least the sequence of at least one of SEQ ID NO:72 and SEQ ID NO:73;and (b) the second amplification oligomer comprises a secondtarget-hybridizing sequence that is from about 15 to about 27 contiguousnucleotides contained in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:71 and that includesat least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:70. 2.-30. (canceled)
 31. Thecombination of at least two oligomers as in claim 1, wherein the atleast two oligomers are in a kit for amplification of a Gardnerellavaginalis target nucleic acid.
 32. (canceled)
 33. A method for detectingin a sample a Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) target nucleic acid, whereinthe target nucleic acid is a GV 16S rRNA or a gene encoding said 16SrRNA, said method comprising: (a) contacting a sample, said samplesuspected of containing a GV bacterium, with at least two oligomers foramplifying a GV nucleic acid target region corresponding to the targetnucleic acid, said oligomer combination comprising (i) a firstamplification oligomer comprising a first target-hybridizing sequencethat is from about 15 to about 27 contiguous nucleotides contained inthe sequence of SEQ ID NO:75 and that includes at least the sequence ofat least one of SEQ ID NO:72 and SEQ ID NO:73; and (ii) a secondamplification oligomer comprising a second target-hybridizing sequencethat is from about 15 to about 27 contiguous nucleotides contained inthe sequence of SEQ ID NO:71 and that includes at least the sequence ofSEQ ID NO:70; (b) performing an in vitro nucleic acid amplificationreaction, wherein any GV target nucleic acid present in said sample isused as a template for generating an amplification product; and (c)detecting the presence or absence of the amplification product, therebyindicating the presence or absence of GV in said sample.
 34. The methodof claim 33, wherein the first target-hybridizing sequence is selectedfrom the group consisting of: a target hybridizing sequence contained inthe sequence of SEQ ID NO:76; a target hybridizing sequence contained inthe sequence of SEQ ID NO:76 and that includes at least the sequence ofSEQ ID NO:72; a target hybridizing sequence contained within thesequence of SEQ ID NO:78; a target hybridizing sequence contained in thesequence of SEQ ID NO:78 and that includes at least the sequence of SEQID NO:77; a target hybridizing sequence contained within the sequence ofSEQ ID NO:79; a target hybridizing sequence contained within thesequence of SEQ ID NO:79 and that includes at least the sequence of SEQID NO:73; a target hybridizing sequence contained within the sequence ofSEQ ID NO:81; and a target hybridizing sequence contained within thesequence of SEQ ID NO:81 and that includes at least the sequence of SEQID NO:80; a target hybridizing sequence of SEQ ID NOs:6-10. 35.-45.(canceled)
 46. The method of claim 34, wherein the secondtarget-hybridizing sequence has a sequence selected from the groupconsisting of SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ ID NO:37, SEQ ID NO:38,SEQ ID NO:39, a sequence contained within the sequence of SEQ ID NO:86,and a sequence contained within the sequence of SEQ ID NO:86 andincludes at least the sequence of SEQ ID NO:85.
 47. The method of claim33, wherein the second target-hybridizing sequence is contained in thesequence of SEQ ID NO:86.
 48. The method of claim 47, wherein the secondtarget-hybridizing sequence includes at least the sequence of SEQ IDNO:85.
 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the second target-hybridizingsequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:36, SEQ IDNO:38, and SEQ ID NO:39.
 50. The method of claim 33, wherein the secondamplification oligomer is a promoter primer or promoter provider furthercomprising a promoter sequence located 5′ to the target-hybridizingsequence.
 51. (canceled)
 52. The method of claim 50, wherein the T7promoter sequence has the sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:87.
 53. The methodof claim 52, wherein the second amplification oligomer has a sequenceselected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ IDNO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, and SEQ ID NO:5.
 54. The method of claim 33, furthercomprising purifying the GV target nucleic acid from other components inthe sample before step (a), wherein the purifying step comprisescontacting the sample with at least one capture probe oligomercomprising a target-hybridizing sequence covalently attached to asequence or moiety that binds to an immobilized probe, wherein saidtarget-hybridizing sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQID NO:40, SEQ ID NO:41, SEQ ID NO:42, SEQ ID NO:43, SEQ ID NO:44, SEQ IDNO:45, and SEQ ID NO:46. 55.-56. (canceled)
 57. The method of claim 33,wherein the detecting step (c) comprises contacting said in vitronucleic acid amplification reaction with a detection probe oligomerconfigured to specifically hybridize to the amplification product underconditions whereby the presence or absence of the amplification productis determined, thereby indicating the presence or absence of GV in saidsample.
 58. The method of claim 57, wherein the detection probe oligomeris selected from the group consisting of a detection probe oligomercomprising a target-hybridizing sequence that is from about 14 to about35 nucleotides in length and is configured to specifically hybridize toa target sequence contained within SEQ ID NO:88 from about nucleotideposition 164 to about nucleotide position 205; a detection probeoligomer comprising a target hybridizing sequence contained in thesequence of SEQ ID NO:84 and includes at least the sequence of SEQ IDNO:83; and a detection probe oligomer comprising a target hybridizingsequence that is SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23,and SEQ ID NO:24. 59.-62. (canceled)
 63. The method of claim 58, whereinthe detection probe comprises a label selected from the group consistingof (a) a chemiluminescent label; (b) a fluorescent label; (c) aquencher; and (d) a combination of one or more of (a), (b), and (c). 64.The method of any of claim 58, wherein the detecting step (c) occursduring the amplifying step (b). 65.-66. (canceled)
 67. The method of anyof claim 58, wherein the detection probe further comprises anon-target-hybridizing sequence.
 68. The method of claim 67, wherein thedetection probe is a hairpin detection probe a TaqMan detection probe, amolecular beacon, or a molecular torch.
 69. (canceled)
 70. The method ofclaim 33, wherein the amplification reaction at step (b) is anisothermal amplification reaction, or is a PCR amplification reaction.71. The method of claim 70, wherein the isothermal amplificationreaction is a transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) reaction orwherein the isothermal amplification reaction is a reverse TMA reaction.72.-74. (canceled)
 75. A detection probe oligomer for detecting aGardnerella vaginalis target nucleic acid, wherein said detection probeoligomer comprises a target-hybridizing sequence that is from about 14to about 35 nucleotides in length and is configured to specificallyhybridize to a target sequence contained within SEQ ID NO:88 from aboutnucleotide position 164 to about nucleotide position
 205. 76.-83.(canceled)